Most People Haven’t Even Heard Of The Most Decorated Military Officer In U.S. History
The enemy had them pinned down. Small-arms fire swept their positions. Tanks blitzed the hedgerows. Many men were already dead – and more would surely follow. But then Captain Matt Urban picked up a bazooka. He snaked his way toward the enemy tanks, took aim, and… BOOM! The brave soldier destroyed not one but two tanks. Urban had officially arrived in World War II, and he was only just getting started. Yet despite the captain’s stunning military action – and record medal haul – most people have never heard of him. How come?
Unknown soldier
Those 29 medals, by the way, include a Medal of Honor, a Silver Star (with one oak-leaf cluster), and a Legion of Merit. So Urban is without a doubt up there with the most decorated servicemen in U.S. history. It’s strange, then, that he is not as familiar as that other much-medaled soldier: Audie Murphy.
Murphy’s Law
It probably doesn’t help that Murphy became a movie star after WWII. The veteran even headlined a popular Hollywood film — 1955’s To Hell and Back — all about his staggering exploits during the war. But Urban flew completely under the radar until he earned his Medal of Honor in 1980… an almost unforgivable 35 years after his WWII service.
Return to sender
Up until that point, it seemed only the soldiers who’d served with Urban knew about his incredible military achievements. Yet Staff Sergeant Earl G. Evans had actually recommended Urban for a Medal of Honor back in 1945. The problem? His letter reportedly didn’t make its way to Urban’s commanding officer. But all was not lost.
Records check
In 1978 Urban himself shed light on his extensive military career. The veteran asked the Army Military Awards Branch for details about the Medal of Honor. And when the organization took a look at Urban’s file, researchers found a copy of Sgt. Evans’ letter. This led to a deeper dive into Urban’s WWII actions — and the discovery of an unsung U.S. hero.
