Nicholas Oresko’s Medal of Honor Citation

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

MASTER SERGEANT
NICHOLAS ORESKO
ARMY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty on 23 January 1945, while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 302d Infantry, 94th Infantry Division, in action at Tettington, Germany. Master Sergeant Oresko was a platoon leader with Company C, in an attack against strong enemy positions. Deadly automatic fire from the flanks pinned down his unit. Realizing that a machinegun in a nearby bunker must be eliminated, he swiftly worked ahead alone, braving bullets which struck about him, until close enough to throw a grenade into the German position. He rushed the bunker and, with pointblank rifle fire, killed all the hostile occupants who survived the grenade blast. Another machinegun opened up on him, knocking him down and seriously wounding him in the hip. Refusing to withdraw from the battle, he placed himself at the head of his platoon to continue the assault. As withering machinegun and rifle fire swept the area, he struck out alone in advance of his men to a second bunker. With a grenade, he crippled the dug-in machinegun defending this position and then wiped out the troops manning it with his rifle, completing his second self-imposed, one man attack. Although weak from loss of blood, he refused to be evacuated until assured the mission was successfully accomplished. Through quick thinking, indomitable courage, and unswerving devotion to the attack in the face of bitter resistance and while wounded, M /Sergeant Oresko killed 12 Germans, prevented a delay in the assault, and made it possible for Company C to obtain its objective with minimum casualties.

Born: Jan. 18, 1917 in Bayonne, N.J… Joined Army in March 1942… Also awarded Bronze Star and Purple Heart… Presented Medal of Honor by Pres. Harry S. Truman on Oct. 30, 1945 at the White House… Served in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs for 32 years following leaving the Army… Departed: 4 October 2013… Interred: George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus, N.J.