Rank and organization: Private First
Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near
Mignano, Italy, 11 November 1943. Entered service at: Colorado
Springs, Colo. Birth: Holdredge, Nebr. G.O. No.: 32, 20 April
1944. Citation... For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 11
November 1943, this soldier's platoon was furnishing machinegun
support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano,
Italy, when the enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen and half the
machinegun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Pfc. Lindstrom saw
that his small section was alone and outnumbered 5 to 1, yet he
immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and opened fire
with his single gun. The enemy centered fire on him with machinegun,
machine pistols, and grenades. |
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Unable to knock out the enemy nest from his
original position, Pfc. Lindstrom picked up his own heavy
machinegun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside
to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small arms fire
which was striking all around him. From this new site, only 10
yards from the enemy machinegun, he engaged it in an intense
duel. Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners
because they were behind a large rock, he charged uphill under a
steady stream of fire, killed both gunners with his pistol and
dragged their gun down to his own men, directing them to employ
it against the enemy. Disregarding heavy rifle fire, he returned
to the enemy machinegun nest for 2 boxes of ammunition, came
back and resumed withering fire from his own gun. His
spectacular performance completely broke up the German
counterattack. Pfc. Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and
complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain death. | |
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