During day 3 of the battle west of San Tommaso. Italy in which the regiment had penetrated, unobserved, behind the German lines with the goal of threating the only way in or out of Ortona to the east and force the Germans to give up their ferocious house-to-house defense of that town. Dec 26 saw the Germans attack in strength the 48th, who were dug in in an all-round defense. All attacks were rebuffed, several in hand-to-hand combat.

NOK: Son of Paul and Mamie Frye, of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia.