"He was with troops assaulting the first important line of enemy
defenses. The Japanese had converted the partially destroyed Manila Gas
Works and adjacent buildings into a formidable system of mutually
supporting strong points from which they were concentrating machine gun,
mortar, and heavy artillery fire on the American forces. Casualties
rapidly mounted, and the medical aid men, finding it increasingly
difficult to evacuate the wounded, called for volunteer litter bearers.
Pfc. Cicchetti immediately responded, organized a litter team and
skillfully led it for more than 4 hours in rescuing 14 wounded men,
constantly passing back and forth over a 400-yard route which was the
impact area for a tremendous volume of the most intense enemy fire. On
one return trip the path was blocked by machine gun fire, but Pfc.
Cicchetti deliberately exposed himself to draw the automatic fire which
he neutralized with his own rifle while ordering the rest of the team to
rush past to safety with the wounded. While gallantly continuing his
work, he noticed a group of wounded and helpless soldiers some distance
away and ran to their rescue although the enemy fire had increased to
new fury. As he approached the casualties, he was struck in the head by a
shell fragment, but with complete disregard for his gaping wound he
continued to his comrades, lifted one and carried him on his shoulders
50 yards to safety. He then collapsed and died. By his skilled
leadership, indomitable will, and dauntless courage, Pfc. Cicchetti
saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers at the cost of his own."
From PFC Cicchetti's Medal of Honor citation, awarded in 1946
A man who held his comrades above no other,
Brian
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