Nicholas Oresko

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Nicholas Oresko
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Nicholas Oresko, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth Bayonne, New Jersey
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Rank Master Sergeant
Unit 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Medal of Honor

Nicholas Oresko is a former United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

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[edit] Biography

Oresko joined the Army from his birth city of Bayonne, New Jersey, and by January 23, 1945 was serving as a Master Sergeant in Company C, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division. On that day, near Tettington, Germany, Oresko single-handedly defeated a German bunker, was seriously wounded, and then destroyed a second bunker despite his injuries. For his actions, he was issued the Medal of Honor nine months later, on October 30, 1945.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Master Sergeant Oresko's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

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 wiped out the troops manning it with his rifle, completing his second self-imposed, 1-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 /Sgt. Oresko killed 12 Germans, prevented a delay in the assault, and made it possible for Company C to obtain its objective with minimum casualties.

[edit] See also

United States Army Portal

[edit] References