Career
A retail manager before the war, Christian joined the Army from Steubenville, Ohio in November 1942, and by June 3, 1944 he was serving as a private in the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. In the early morning hours of that day, near Valmontone, Italy, his patrol was ambushed by a numerically superior enemy force. Although grievously wounded—his right leg had been severed by hostile fire—he gestured to his comrades to withdraw and advanced on the enemy positions alone, firing as he went.
Although mortally wounded in the attack, he successfully created a diversion which allowed his fellow soldiers to escape.
Christian, aged 31 at his death, was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in his birthplace of Byesville, Ohio.
