Peter J. Dalessondro 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
TECHNICAL SERGEANT
PETER JOSEPH DALESSONDRO
ARMY
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Technical Sergeant Peter Joseph Dalessondro, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 1st Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. Technical Sergeant Dalessondro was with the 1st Platoon holding an important road junction on high ground near Kalterherberg, Germany, on 22 December 1944. In the early morning hours, the enemy after laying down an intense artillery and mortar barrage, followed through with an all-out attack that threatened to overwhelm the position. Technical Sergeant Dalessondro, seeing that his men were becoming disorganized, braved the intense fire to move among them with words of encouragement. Advancing to a fully exposed observation post, he adjusted mortar fire upon the attackers, meanwhile firing upon them with his rifle and encouraging his men in halting and repulsing the attack. Later in the day the enemy launched a second determined attack. Once again, Technical Sergeant Dalessondro, in the face of imminent death, rushed to his forward position and immediately called for mortar fire. After exhausting his rifle ammunition, he crawled 30 yards over exposed ground to secure a light machinegun, returned to his position, and fired upon the enemy at almost pointblank range until the gun jammed. He managed to get the gun to fire one more burst, which used up his last round, but with these bullets he killed four German soldiers who were on the verge of murdering an aid man and two wounded soldiers in a nearby foxhole. When the enemy had almost surrounded him, he remained alone, steadfastly facing almost certain death or capture, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his outpost as he covered the withdrawal of his platoon to a second line of defense. As the German hordes swarmed about him, he was last heard calling for a barrage, saying, “OK, mortars, let me have it–right in this position!” The gallantry and intrepidity shown by Technical Sergeant Dalessondro against an overwhelming enemy attack saved his company from complete rout.
Born: May 19, 1921, Watervliet, N.Y…. Also awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart… Served as a New York state senator following the war… Departed Oct. 15, 1997