The Most Decorated American Combat Soldier of World War II  Click the Medal of Honor to sign the Petition Fellow Americans: Lt. Col. Matt Louis Urban has the distinction, along with Capt. Audie Murphy, of being the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II. According to the Total Army Personnel Command in Alexandria, Virginia, both Urban and Murphy each received 29 decorations, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 2000, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp that honored Audie Murphy as well as three other American combat heroes of World Wars I and II. Because of Postal Service regulations, however, Matt Louis Urban will not be eligible for a commemorative stamp until 2005. Urban's story is unusual in that he received the Congressional Medal of Honor not only because of his unprecedented multiple displays of battlefield courage above and beyond the call of duty but also because, as stated in his Congressional Medal of Honor citation, he uniquely "distinguished himself by a series of bold, heroic actions, exemplified by singularly outstanding combat leadership, personal bravery, and tenacious devotion to duty, during the period from 14 June to 3 September 1944" in at least five separate battles at Renouf, Orglandes, and St. Lo in France as well as at Heer, Belgium, during which he was wounded many times and for which he received seven Purple Hearts. The Germans against whom he fought named Matt Louis Urban The Ghost because no matter how many times they thought they had killed him, he always came back to fight them again in another place. By signing this petition, you are requesting that in the year 2005 the United States Postal Service should issue a commemorative stamp to honor this national, one-of-a-kind World War II combat hero, disabled veteran, and patriot, a Polish American (whose surname was shortened from Urbanowicz) who was born in Buffalo, NY in 1919 and laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in March, 1995. Let's honor him for his unmatched combat achievements while the memory of World War II is still alive. Thank you, Anthony J. Bajdek, Associate Dean Northeastern University Boston |
