Donald Rudolph
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| Donald Eugene Rudolph, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| 1921 - May 25, 2006 | |
| Place of birth | South Haven Township, Minnesota |
| Place of death | Grand Rapids, Minnesota |
| Allegiance | U.S. Army |
| Years of service | 1941-1963 |
| Rank | Master Sergeant |
| Unit | 20th Infantry, 6th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
| Other work | Veterans Administration |
Donald Eugene Rudolph, Sr. (c. 1921 - May 25, 2006) was an American soldier who won his country's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, in the Second World War.
He was awarded the medal whilst serving as a sergeant and acting as leader of his platoon on Luzon island in the northern Philippines; his actions took place on 5 February 1945.
Whilst giving first aid on the battlefield he noticed that his unit was pinned down by gun fire from a ditch. Crawling to the ditch, using his rifle and grenades to protect himself, he then killed three enemy soldiers concealed there. He then continued to work his way across open ground to a line of pillboxes that were also firing and immobilising his company.
He threw a grenade into the slit in the first of the pillboxes, and charged it and threw another grenade into the structure, killing the enemy machinegunners and so silencing their fire. After ordering several riflemen to cover his advance he proceeded to attack and neutralise 7 further pillboxes in quick succession.
Later, when a tank attacked his platoon he advanced under covering fire, opened its hatch and dropped a white phosporous grenade inside, killing the crew and negating its threat. His medal citation concludes that through "his outstanding heroism, superb courage, and leadership, and complete disregard for his own safety, [...] Rudolph cleared a path for an advance which culminated in one of the most decisive victories of the Philippine campaign."[1].
He was promoted to Second Lieutenant after the battle, and was presented with the medal on 23 August 1945 by President Harry S. Truman[2]. He continued his army career until 1963, then worked in the Veterans Administration until his retirement in 1976[2].
He died from complications of Alzheimer's disease in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
[edit] Notes
- ^ The full citation for the medal, from US Army Centre of Military History
- ^ a b Obituary at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer web site
[edit] External links
- Medal of Honor Recipient Donald E. Rudolph Sr., Washington Post, 29 May 2006. (URL accessed on June 3, 2006).
