"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and
beyond the call of duty. On 11 November 1943, this soldier's platoon was
furnishing machine gun support for a rifle company attacking a hill near
Mignano, Italy, when the enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen
and half the machine gun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Pfc.
Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and outnumbered 5 to 1,
yet he immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and
opened fire with his single gun. The enemy centered fire on him with
machine gun, machine pistols,
and grenades. Unable to knock out the enemy nest from his original
position, Pfc. Lindstrom picked up his own heavy machine gun and
staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside to a new position,
completely ignoring enemy small arms
fire which was striking all around him. From this new site, only 10
yards from the enemy machine gun, he engaged it in an intense duel. Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners because they were
behind a large rock, he charged uphill under a steady stream of fire,
killed both gunners with his pistol and dragged their gun down to his
own men, directing them to employ it against the enemy. Disregarding
heavy rifle fire, he returned to the enemy machine gun nest for 2 boxes
of ammunition, came back and resumed withering fire from his own gun. His spectacular performance completely broke up the German
counterattack. Pfc. Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and
complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain death."
From PFC Lindstrom's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on April 20, 1944.
May you be at peace,
Brian
PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic in Colorado Springs, CO.
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