Colyer, Wilbur E. - The National Medal of Honor Museum

Your Match Day Starts Here! Just Steps From the Stadium.View Details

View All Hours

Plan your visit
- Hours, Directions And Parking Café and Restaurant Museum Shop Museum Map
- Tickets and Experiences Accessibility Group Visits Plan Your Field Trip Places to Stay
Explore All exhibits and events
- EXHIBITSMoments of Action Exhibit From Rails to Rotors Exhibit More than a Medal Exhibit Interactive Exhibits Medal Exhibits
- EVENTSHost a Private Event Match Days at the Museum Freedom Fest Family Summer Day Veterans Day
Explore All Recipients Stories
- THE RECIPIENTSRecipients Database Search
- THE MEDALLearn About the Medal More Than a Medal Exhibit
Ways to Get Involved
- GiveBecome a Member Volunteer Make A Donation Partners and Donors Sponsor a Youth Field Trip
- AboutAbout the Museum Museum Leadership Careers Stories Pressroom
Griffin Institute
- Griffin InstituteLearn About the Griffin Institute June 2 Teacher Development Day June 4 Teacher Development Day

U.S. ArmyAwarded Posthumously

Colyer, Wilbur E.

ConflictWorld War I

Year of Action1918

Unit/CommandCompany A, 1st Engineers, 1st Division

HometownBrooklyn, New York

Citation

Volunteering with 2 other soldiers to locate machinegun nests, Sgt. Colyer advanced on the hostile positions to a point where he was half surrounded by the nests, which were in ambush. He killed the gunner of one gun with a captured German grenade and then turned this gun on the other nests silencing all of them before he returned to his platoon. He was later killed in action.

Branch: U.S. Army Conflict: World War I Year of Action: 1918