"He fought with extreme gallantry to defend the outpost which had been
established near Dingalan Bay. Just before daybreak approximately 100
Japanese stealthily attacked the perimeter defense, concentrating on a
light machine gun position having completed a long tour of duty at this
gun, Pvt. McKinney was resting a few paces away when an enemy soldier
dealt him a glancing blow on the head with a saber. Although dazed by
the stroke, he seized his rifle, bludgeoned his attacker, and then shot
another assailant who was charging him. Meanwhile, one of his comrades
at the machine gun had been wounded and his other companion withdrew
carrying the injured man to safety. Alone, Pvt. McKinney was confronted
by ten infantrymen who had captured the machine gun with the evident
intent of reversing it to fire into the perimeter. Leaping into the
emplacement, he shot seven of them at pointblank range and killed three
more with his rifle butt. In the melee the machine gun was rendered
inoperative, leaving him only his rifle with which to meet the advancing
Japanese, who hurled grenades and directed knee mortar shells into the
perimeter. He warily changed position, secured more ammunition, and
reloading repeatedly, cut down waves of the fanatical enemy with
devastating fire or clubbed them to death in hand-to-hand combat. When
assistance arrived, he had thwarted the assault and was in complete
control of the area. Thirty-eight dead Japanese around the machine gun
and two more at the side of a mortar 45 yards distant was the amazing
toll he had exacted single-handedly. By his indomitable spirit,
extraordinary fighting ability, and unwavering courage in the face of
tremendous odds, Pvt. McKinney saved his company from possible
annihilation and set an example of unsurpassed intrepidity."
From Pvt. McKinney's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on January 23, 1946.
May you be at peace,
Brian
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