Black History: A Profile in Courage, Sergeant First Class Edward Allen Carter Jr.
posted by Oliver D. Bentley | February 21, 2022 | In Arts and CultureSgt. Edward A. Carter, Jr. was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously in 1997 “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 March 1945,” according to Arlington National Cemetery.
This man, exemplifies heroism, determination, intelligence, sacrifice, and what I would consider to be the true American spirit. The great sadness of his story is that he did not receive the proper recognition for his actions until 1997, well after his death on January 30, 1963. The inherent racism that clouds American judgment would not see an African-American receive the Medal of Honor.
Fortunately, in the early nineties, the Army commissioned research that would examine racial disparities concerning Medal of Honor recipients. This research would conclude that there were systematic racial discrimination concerning the criteria for awarding decorations in World War II. Thus, in 1997 the Medal of Honor was awarded to Sgt. Carter and received by his son fifty-two years after his heroic actions, and thirty-four years after his death.
Sgt. Carter was riding on an American tank in the early morning hours of March 23, 1945, when the tank came under attack from bazooka and small arms fire. Sgt. Carter and his squad took cover behind a road bank. Sgt. Carter then volunteered to lead a three-man patrol to a warehouse where the original bazooka fire was seen by other unit members. From this point, the patrol was to cross approximately one hundred fifty yards across an open field to assess the enemy’s position and strength.
As Sgt. Carter and his three men came out of cover and advanced, they received heavy small arms fire that killed one of his patrol members. In response, Sgt. Carter ordered his remaining two men to return to cover and provide suppressive fire as he alone advanced on the enemy position. As the remaining two members of his patrol retreated to cover, only one made it alive, and the remaining soldier was seriously wounded.
As Sgt. Carter continued his advance, enemy machine gun fire struck him three times in the left arm. Undeterred, Sergeant Carter continued his advance until he was struck by enemy fire, yet again, in his left leg knocking him off his feet.
As Sgt. Carter lie on the ground, he took wound tablets and drank from his canteen, when it was shot away with the round going through his left hand.
With incredible bravery and resolve, Sgt. Carter then continued to advance by crawling towards the enemy position. When he was within thirty yards of the enemy position, he came under heavy fire that forced him to take cover behind an embankment where he stayed wounded five times up and down the left side of his body for two hours.
After the two hours had passed, eight enemy riflemen approached Sgt. Carter’s position in an attempt to capture him or confirm his death. As they rounded the embankment, Sgt. Carter opened fire killing six of the eight enemy combatants and capturing two. This ended the confrontation.
Sgt. Carter refused to be evacuated until he was able to convey the information he had learned from the two soldiers and what he had observed on the battlefield.
If my opinion, this man was, still is, and will always be an American and a true patriot. If Sergeant Edward Allen Carter Jr. is not an American, then I don’t want to be one either. I dare any of us to do better.
This article was written based off the official citation for the Medal of Honor. For more detailed information concerning Sgt. Edward Allen Carter, Jr., check out the Netflix docuseries, “Medal of Honor” season 1, episode “Edward Carter.”
Sgt. Carter’s grave marker can be viewed at Arlington National Cemetery section 59, site 451.
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