23 December

SSG PAUL L. BOLDEN
Company 1, 120th Infantry,
30th Infantry Division
Petit-Coo, Belgium
23 December 1944.

SSG Bolden led the attack on a formidable enemy strong point in Petit-Coo, Belgium, on 23 December 1944. His unit was pinned down by heavy machinegun fire and mortars.
SSG. Bolden and a comrade moved forward into a hail of bullets crawling ahead the pair reached the house and took up assault positions.

SSG Bolden led the assault, with his buddy across the street delivering covering fire. In rapid succession, SSG Bolden hurled a fragmentation grenade and a white phosphorous grenade into the building; and then, disregarding the tremendous odds, rushed the enemy position and fired into 35 SS troopers who were trying to reorganize themselves after the havoc wrought by Bolden’s grenades.

Bolden dispatched Twenty Germans to their god before being hit in the shoulder, chest, and stomach. The same burst of fire killed his buddy leaving Bolden without any covering fire.

He withdrew from the house, and demanded the remaining SS troopers surrender – they did not comply and in spite of his wounds, SSG Bolden boldly walked back into the house, firing as he went killing the remaining 15 enemy soldiers.  SSG. Bolden’s heroic advance against great odds, his fearless assault, and his magnificent display of courage in reentering the building where he had been severely wounded cleared the path for his company and insured the success of its mission. SSG Bolden made that last muster on May 21, 1979.