"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and
beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Altavilla, Italy,
September 13, 1943. When his company attacked a German position on Hill
424, the first platoon, led by 1st Lt. Bjorklund, moved forward on the
right flank to the slope of the hill where it was pinned down by a heavy
concentration of machine gun and rifle fire. Ordering his men to give
covering fire, with only 3 hand grenades, he crept and crawled forward
to a German machine gun position located on a terrace
along the forward slope. Approaching within a few yards of the
position, and while continuously exposed to enemy fire, he hurled 1
grenade into the nest, destroyed the gun and killed 3 Germans.
Discovering a second machine gun 20 yards to the right on a higher
terrace, he moved under intense enemy fire to a point within a few yards
and threw a second grenade into this position, destroying it and
killing 2 more Germans. The first platoon was then able to advance 150
yards further up the slope to the crest of the hill, but was again
stopped by the fire from a heavy enemy mortar on the reverse slope. 1st
Lt. Bjorklund located the mortar and worked his way under little cover
to within 10 yards of its position and threw his third grenade,
destroying the mortar, killing 2 of the Germans, and forcing the
remaining 3 to flee. His actions permitted the platoon to take its
objective."
From 1st Lieutenant Arnold L. Bjorklund's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on September 6, 1944.
Thank you for your service and may you be at peace,
Brian
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