Career
During the Allied invasion of Sicily, he led his small patrol in its defense against an attack by four Italian tanks. Despite being seriously wounded, he continued to lead and personally disabled one tank with only a Tommy gun. After receiving the Medal of Honor for these actions, he returned to combat and was killed in action in Germany.
Waybur was from Piedmont, California and worked as a grocery store clerk and ranch hand before joining the military.
He enlisted in the Army as a private on November 22, 1940, but later became a commissioned officer By the time of the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943, he was a first lieutenant commanding the 3rd Reconnaissance Troop, 3rd Infantry Division.
On the night of July 17, 1943, one week after the invasion of Sicily began, Waybur volunteered to lead a reconnaissance patrol into enemy territory near Agrigento in order to locate a missing Ranger unit The patrol, consisting of three Jeeps, was cut off and attacked by four Italian tanks.
In the ensuing firefight, Waybur and three of his men were wounded, Waybur seriously southern
When the patrol"s three machine guns ran out of ammunition, he ordered his men to take cover and single-handedly disabled one tank by standing in the open and killing its crew with a Thompson submachine gun. After sending one patrol member to get help, Waybur continued to lead his men in holding off the three remaining tanks through the night. American reinforcements arrived in the morning, and the Italian tanks withdrew.
The medal was formally presented to him by Lieutenant General Mark Wayne Clark, commander of the Fifth Army, during a ceremony in North Africa later that year.
Waybur was sent back to the United States to work on war bond tours, but he eventually asked to be returned to combat duty. Waybur was buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, France.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, he had also received the Silver Star and a Purple Heart.
