"The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to
Private First Class Leonard C. Brostrom, United States Army, for
extraordinary heroism in action as a rifleman with an assault platoon of
Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, which ran
into powerful resistance near Dagami, Leyte, Philippine Islands, on 28
October 1944. From pillboxes, trenches, and spider holes, so well
camouflaged that they could be detected at no more than 20 yards, the
enemy poured machine gun and rifle fire, causing severe casualties in the
platoon. Realizing that a key pillbox in the center of the strong point
would have to be knocked out if the company were to advance, Private
First Class Brostrom, without orders and completely ignoring his own
safety, ran forward to attack the pillbox with grenades. He immediately
became the prime target for all the riflemen in the area, as he rushed
to the rear of the pillbox and tossed grenades through the entrance. Six
enemy soldiers left a trench in a bayonet charge against the heroic
American, but he killed one and drove the others off with rifle fire. As
he threw more grenades from his completely exposed position he was
wounded several times in the abdomen and knocked to the ground. Although
suffering intense pain and rapidly weakening from loss of blood, he
slowly rose to his feet and once more hurled his deadly missiles at the
pillbox. As he collapsed, the enemy began fleeing from the fortification
and were killed by riflemen of his platoon. Private First Class
Brostrom died while being carried from the battlefield, but his
intrepidity and unhesitating willingness to sacrifice himself in a
one-man attack against overwhelming odds enabled his company to
reorganize against attack, and annihilate the entire enemy position."
From PFC. Leonard C. Brostrom's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on November 15, 1945.
Thank you for your service and may you be at peace,
Brian
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