LIEUTENANT
NATHANIEL KAPLAN
Distinguished
Service Cross
A
native of Camden, N.J., Lieutenant Kaplan was awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross for extraordinary heroism in France. At St. Croix, leading elements of his
company were under heavy enemy machine-gun fire. Six men in his platoon were
wounded. Kaplan dashed across an exposed area to assist his men. Using his M-1
rifle, he occupied the enemy’s abandoned position under heavy fire.
Kaplan then spotted another
well-concealed enemy position. Heavy automatic weapons fire from the enemy
menaced him. Braving this barrage, he continued firing his rifle at the enemy.
He killed five Germans, and forced the others to flee in disorder.
Kaplan reorganized his
men, led them in clearing the sector of the town assigned to them. Suddenly,
however, heavy machine-gun fire from three enemy tanks swept toward the
advancing platoon. Kaplan led his men forward and directed the platoon’s fire.
Three Germans were killed. The tanks were forced to withdraw.
Camden Courier-Post - June 15, 1933 |
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