Utah
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Gerry Kisters joined the U.S. Army and was assigned the 2nd Armored Division and rose to the rank of sergeant. Sgt. Kisters was serving in Italy during World War II near Gagliano, Sicily in February of 1943 with a detachment of one officer and 9 enlisted men. The troop was advancing ahead of the leading elements of US troops to fill a large crater in the only available vehicle route through Gagliano.
They began to take on heavy machine gun fire from two enemy positions. Sgt. Kisters and the officer, unaided and in the face of intense small arms fire, advanced on the
nearest machine gun emplacement and succeeded in capturing the gun as well as it’s crew of four. Although he greater part of the remaining small arms fire was now directed to the captured machine gun position, Sgt. Kisters voluntarily advance alone toward the second machine gun emplacement.
While creeping forward Sgt. Kisters was struck 5 times by enemy bullets, receiving wounds in both legs and his right arm.
Despite the wounds, he continued to advance on the enemy, and captured the second machine gun nest after killing three of its crew and forcing the forth member to flee. The courage of Sgt. Kisters and his unhesitating willingness to sacrifice his life, if necessary, served and an inspiration to the entire command.