Nicholas Oresko (1917 – 2013) was a US soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his valorous actions taken in Germany on January 23 1945. Citation: M/Sgt. 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 wip
