Service Details
World War II Medal of Honor recipient from Orange County.
World War II Medal of Honor recipient recognized for extraordinary heroism during the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
Ehlers repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while leading attacks against German positions and protecting fellow soldiers during combat operations in France.
Walter David Ehlers was one of the most highly respected World War II Medal of Honor recipients and the last living Medal of Honor recipient from the Normandy D-Day campaign for many years. He earned the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in France shortly after the June 6, 1944 landings.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Walter David Ehlers
- Born: May 7, 1921 — Junction City, Kansas
- Died: February 20, 2014 — Long Beach, California
- Branch: United States Army
- Highest rank: Second Lieutenant
- Unit: Company L, 3rd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division (“The Big Red One”)
- Service years: 1940–1945
- Conflict: World War II
Medal of Honor Action
Ehlers earned the Medal of Honor for actions on June 9–10, 1944, near Goville, France, just days after D-Day. During intense fighting:
- He destroyed multiple German machine-gun and mortar positions
- Personally attacked enemy strongpoints under heavy fire
- Covered his platoon’s withdrawal while wounded
- Carried a wounded soldier to safety
- Returned through enemy fire to recover a Browning Automatic Rifle
- Refused evacuation and continued leading his squad
He received the Medal of Honor in Paris on December 19, 1944.
Brother Lost on D-Day
Walter and his older brother Roland served together through North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy. Weeks after D-Day, Walter learned Roland had been killed on Omaha Beach when his landing craft was hit by a mortar shell.
After the War
After WWII, Ehlers:
- Worked for the Veterans Administration
- Later worked security at Disneyland in California
- Appeared in the 1955 film The Long Gray Line
- Became a prominent speaker about WWII and military service
Where He Lived
- Born in Junction City, Kansas
- Entered the Army from Manhattan, Kansas
- Later lived in California
- Died in Long Beach, California
- Buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California
Awards
- Medal of Honor (Ehlers’ Medal of Honor is on display at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.)
- Silver Star
- Three Purple Hearts
Official Links
Congressional Medal of Honor Society:
https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/walter-d-ehlers
National WWII Museum profile with photos:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/walter-david-ehlers-medal-of-honor
Wikipedia page with images:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_D._Ehlers
Famous Quote
Ehlers often said he fought for freedom and never considered himself a hero compared to those who did not return from war.