"He was squad leader of a 9-man patrol sent to reconnoiter a ridge held
by a well-entrenched enemy force. Seeing an enemy machine gun position,
he ordered his men to remain behind while he crawled to within 6 yards
of the gun. One of the enemy crew jumped up and prepared to man the
weapon. Quickly withdrawing, Sgt. Johnson rejoined his patrol and
reported the situation to his commanding officer. Ordered to destroy the
gun, which covered the approaches to several other enemy positions, he
chose 3 other men, armed them with hand grenades, and led them to a
point near the objective. After taking partial cover behind a log, the
men had knocked out the gun and begun an assault when hostile troops on
the flank hurled several grenades. As he started for cover, Sgt. Johnson
saw 2 unexploded grenades which had fallen near his men. Knowing that
his comrades would be wounded or killed by the explosion, he
deliberately threw himself on the grenades and received their full
charge in his body. Fatally wounded by the blast, he died soon
afterward. Through his outstanding gallantry in sacrificing his life for
his comrades, Sgt. Johnson provided a shining example of the highest
traditions of the U.S. Army."
From Sgt. Johnson's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on October 2, 1945.
May you be at peace,
Brian & Mel
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