Beryl Newman received the Medal of Honor for actions near Cisterna, Italy on May 26, 1944 during World War II.
When his platoon was ambushed by two machine guns, Newman resolutely stood in the face of the incoming fire in order to locate its position and direct a counterattack.
As a squad attempted to flank the enemy they became pinned down. Newman then charged the nests alone, secured both machine guns, and further advanced against three more enemy that came out of a nearby house.
Infiltrating the house, he proceeded to order the surrender of its remaining occupants. In the end, he would neutralize 3 guns, wound 2, kill another 2, and take 11 prisoners. His “willingness to close with the enemy in the face of such heavy odds” would see him awarded the #MOH the following January by President Roosevelt.
Newman passed away in 1998 at the age of 86. He was buried in an unassuming graveyard behind the Wesleyan Church in Remlik, Virginia. With a population of less than 500 people, his gravesite is that of the quintessential small town hero. The neighboring town of Saluda honored Newman after his death with a memorial placed outside the county courthouse.
