Grade : Technical Sergeant  

Blessé le 30 November 1944 à Saarlautern, Germany (Germany)

Activité pendant la Seconde Guerre Mondiale :

The 378th Regiment sailed to Liverpool, England from Boston, Mass. The 378th Regiment, 358th-359th-360th Field Artillery Battalion left August 8,1944 and landed on Omaha Beach August 14, 1944. They were to secure a five mile wide beach head. The British landed on Gold Beach and all of the rest of the Third Army, 95th Division - 377th and the 379th landed on Utah Beach. The 95th was lead by the 378th and plowed through the Germans from D-Days, Normandy to Saarlautern. T/Sergeant Ferguson was in Rifle Company L and recieved wounds on November 8th, November 13th, November 21 from hand-to-hand knife fighting dispatching 13 Germans; one by saving the life of his Captain. November 30,1944 in Saarlautern on Beres Hill. The documents and news paper articles describe the event where he was severely injured as follows: On his second attempt at the hill T/Sergeant Ferguson encountered the entrenched Germans blasting him with murderous fire. He climbed the hill again and with a BAR he returned withering fire and lobbing grenades at the Germans. Company K was pinned down and T/Sergeant layed such a firefight K Company managed to retreat and regroup to attack again. The Germans released mortars and "88" artillery rounds in T/Sergeants direction were he was hit again with multiple wounds. What was not revealed on the first report was his additional wounds and when and where. When the medics retrieved T/Sergeant Ferguson finding his wounds were severe enough he couldn't walk and would be sent home. He went to England and then the States. He ended up at Tilton Hospital, Fort Dix, New Jersey, it took three years and multiple surgeries.Due to the extent of his injuries which yielded 1377 stitches, two bone grafts to his left lower leg, laceration to his left foot, left thigh, left rib cage and broken ribs, left little finger (amputated later) belly wounds from bullets and shrapnel, lacerated upper left lip, left upper left jaw, and laceration behind his left ear and neck. He also went through multiple skin grafts. It was said the last three injuries were from the previous hand-to-hand knife fighting, skills he learned from the British Commandos in Edinburgh, Scotland. Although he left the European Theater before he was ever told about his citations and awards they were photographed while they were displayed on his bed in Fort Dix by Combat Photographer Bill Lawrence. Bill Lawrence died at the age of 78, in Yuma, Arizona, from emphezema caused by the bullet wounds to his back of which one was lodged between two vertebrae. He also earned his International Pistol Marksman Badge with the all Army Team 1956-58, plus numerous other pistol medals, trophies, and commendations. He was qualified in the BAR, M-1 carbine, M-1 garand, M-60 machine gun, 60-MM mortar, hand-grende, demolition and hand-to-hand and knife fighting. He has also received Fourrageres from France, Belgium and other medals not listed. With his multiple wounds he has twelve Purple Hearts, 6 knots on Good Conduct Medal, a bronze star & "V" device on his Bronze star, Arrowhead for Omaha Beach, and the list goes on. When he returned back to Germany to become a competitor and manager of the Rod & Gun Club of with he received commendations for and competed in. He has won German made knives (soligen steel) pistols, shotguns, rifles, silver awards and clocks and the list goes on. His greatest possesion was winning the shotgun and Burgermeisters hat, that is loaded with silver pins that stood for awards the Burgermeister won prior, while in Munich. He competed in the Pan-American Games, Camp Roberts, Camp Perry many other places. Before T/Sergeant Ferguson became part of Patton's Third Army, 95th Division "Victory Division" 378th Rifle Company L, he was in New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, Luzon in 1943 Bushmasters Company L RCT. He was sent home from his first injury. May 16,1998 he died from complications in Tucson, Arizona. 2004 Capt. Robert Aylwood of Fort Benning, Ga. was research to see if Sgt. Major Ferguson qualified for the Medal of Honor. With the fourth fire at the National Archives in 1973 his records were compromised. His National Guard records burned and other records were all destroyed. He died in Tucson, Arizona VA Hospital from complications from his war wounds. Tex Ferguson we salute you. Bone in Hamilton, Texas, June 10, 1916

Campagnes : Northern France, Rhineland.

Médailles :