LIEUTENANT AVERILL'S WIDOW WILL GET HIS HERO MEDAL
West Englewood Officer Set Up Defense, Saved Soldier
WAS OUTNUMBERED
The German counter-offensive in the Belgian Bulge was in full force December 19 when First Lieutenant Denniston Averill of West Englewood, officer in the Armored Infantry, was assigned the job of re-establishing an outpost necessary to our forces.
The spot where the outpost has been was in Ortho. When he reached the area, he found it still under a withering barrage of enemy fire. Three anti-aircraft half-tracks had been knocked out and were a blazing mass of wreckage. Lieutenant Averill set up a defensive position that withstood the enemy's assault, then carried to safety a badly wounded man who had been trapped in the flames of a
wrecked half-track.
On the following day, Averill led two tanks, which were defending the town of Samree against overwhelming odds. His vehicle knocked out in the battle, Lieutenant Averill continued to fight on foot until killed by the outnumbering enemy.
His widow Dorothy M. Averill, and an 8-month-old son, live at 490 Churchill Road in West Englewood. Mrs. Averill has been presented with the Silver Star, awarded for her husband's heroism in Belgium and a Bronze Star in recognition of Lieutenant Averill's heroic service on August 28, 1944.
