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The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to: |
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Rank and organization: Place
and date: Entered service at: Birth:
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RUDOLPH, DONALD E. Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Munoz, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 5 February 1945. Minneapolis, Minn. South Haven, Minn. |
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G.O.
No.: 77, 10 September 1945. Citation: 2d
Lt. Rudolph (then T/Sgt.) was
acting as platoon leader at Munoz, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
While administering first aid on the battlefield, he observed enemy
fire issuing from a nearby culvert. Crawling
to the culvert with rifle and grenades, he killed 3 of the enemy concealed
there. He
then worked his way across open terrain toward a line of enemy pillboxes
which had immobilized his company. Nearing
the first pillbox, he hurled a grenade through its embrasure and charged
the position. With his bare
hands he tore away the wood and tin covering, then dropped a grenade
through the opening, killing the enemy gunners and destroying their
machinegun. Ordering
several riflemen to cover his further advance, 2d Lt. Rudolph seized a
pick mattock and made his way to the second pillbox.
Piercing its top with the mattock, he dropped a grenade through the
hole, fired several rounds from his rifle into it and smothered any
surviving enemy by sealing the hole and the embrasure with earth.
In quick succession he attacked and neutralized 6 more pillboxes.
Later, when his platoon was attacked by an enemy tank, he advanced under covering fire, climbed to the top of the tank and dropped a white phosphorus grenade through the turret, destroying the crew. Through his outstanding heroism, superb courage, and leadership, and complete disregard for his own safety, 2d Lt. Rudolph cleared a path for an advance which culminated in one of the most decisive victories of the Philippine campaign.
Source: U.S.
Army Center of Military History, Full-text Listings of Medal of Honor
Citations WORLD
WAR II MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS (M-S)
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohiib1.htm |
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