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Citation:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Technician Fifth Grade Alfred Leonard Wilson, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty on 8 November 1944, while serving with Medical Company, 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, in action at Bezange la Petite, France. Technician Fifth Grade Wilson volunteered to assist as an aid man in a company other than his own, which was suffering casualties from constant artillery fire. He administered to the wounded and returned to his own company when a shellburst injured a number of its men. While treating his comrades he was seriously wounded, but refused to be evacuated by litter bearers sent to relieve him. In spite of great pain and loss of blood, he continued to administer first aid until he was too weak to stand. Crawling from one patient to another, he continued his work until excessive loss of blood prevented him from moving. He then verbally directed unskilled enlisted men in continuing the first aid for the wounded. Still refusing assistance himself, he remained to instruct others in dressing the wounds of his comrades until he was unable to speak above a whisper and finally lapsed into unconsciousness. The effects of his injury later caused his death. By steadfastly remaining at the scene without regard for his own safety, Corporal Wilson through distinguished devotion to duty and personal sacrifice helped to save the lives of at least ten wounded men.
The men in his unit called their medic the "gentle giant," for Tech. 5 Alfred L. Wilson towered over the rest of them as he administered the treatments. When Carolyn McKinney set out to learn more about her deceased uncle, the men of 328th Infantry of the 26th Division told her they had loved the quiet country boy from Pennsylvania.
They had innumerable nicknames for him: "Pap," "Big Al," and "Stoop." Such was not always the case in combat units; most medics were draftees with conscientious objector status. While they shared basic training with the infantrymen and tank drivers, missing only weapons drills, many soldiers felt medics "cast a moral shadow over what the infantrymen were training to do," as Stephen Ambrose writes in Citizen Soldiers. "But in combat, they were loved and admired without stint." When shooting started, the cry of "Medic!" was not long in coming, and neither was the medic himself. He would quickly examine, inject, clean, bandage, and evacuate -- not always in that order, and depending on what supplies were at hand.
On Nov. 8, 1944, at Bezange-la-Petite, France, Wilson's unit came under pounding artillery. The Americans suffered heavy casualties; Wilson began administering to the wounded. Suddenly, a shell exploded nearby, laying several soldiers low. Wilson was also seriously wounded, but continued to treat his comrades. He refused to be evacuated by litter bearers, and continued dispensing aid, bandages, and medicine despite his own pain and blood loss. As he lost more and more blood, becoming weaker and weaker, the gentle giant began crawling form patient to patient. When he could no longer move, he gave instructions to men who could. He refused any assistance, giving directions until his whispered voice was silenced and he lapsed into unconsciousness.
Wilson died later from his injuries. His Medal of Honor citation says, "By steadfastly remaining at the scene without regard for his own safety, Cpl. Wilson through distinguished devotion to duty and personal sacrifice helped to save the lives of at least 10 wounded men."