| Leonard Alfred Funk, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 27, 1916 Braddock Township, Pennsylvania |
| Died | November 20, 1992 (aged 76) |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1941 - 1945 |
| Rank | First Sergeant |
| Unit | 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart (3) |
Leonard Alfred Funk, Jr. (August 27, 1916 – November 20, 1992) was a 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. First Sergeant Funk was one of the most highly decorated soldiers to ever serve in the United States Army, having earned every valor medal bestowed by the United States of America, as well as one of the greatest leaders of men to ever serve in combat in the United States Army.
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Funk joined the Army from Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania in June 1941,[1] and by January 29, 1945 was serving as a first sergeant in Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. On that day, at Holzheim, Belgium, he encountered a group of more than 80 German soldiers, most of whom had previously been captured by American forces but, with the help of a German patrol, had managed to overwhelm their guards. Despite being greatly outnumbered, Funk opened fire and called for the captured American guards to seize the Germans' weapons. He and the guards successfully killed or re-captured all of the German soldiers. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 5, 1945.
Funk left the Army while still a first sergeant. He died at age 76 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.
First Sergeant Funk's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
He distinguished himself by gallant, intrepid actions against the enemy. After advancing 15 miles in a driving snowstorm, the American force prepared to attack through waist-deep drifts. The company executive officer became a casualty, and 1st Sgt. Funk immediately assumed his duties, forming headquarters soldiers into a combat unit for an assault in the face of direct artillery shelling and harassing fire from the right flank. Under his skillful and courageous leadership, this miscellaneous group and the 3d Platoon attacked 15 houses, cleared them, and took 30 prisoners without suffering a casualty. The fierce drive of Company C quickly overran Holzheim, netting some 80 prisoners, who were placed under a 4-man guard, all that could be spared, while the rest of the understrength unit went about mopping up isolated points of resistance. An enemy patrol, by means of a ruse, succeeded in capturing the guards and freeing the prisoners, and had begun preparations to attack Company C from the rear when 1st Sgt. Funk walked around the building and into their midst. He was ordered to surrender by a German officer who pushed a machine pistol into his stomach. Although overwhelmingly outnumbered and facing almost certain death, 1st Sgt. Funk, pretending to comply with the order, began slowly to unsling his submachine gun from his shoulder and then, with lightning motion, brought the muzzle into line and riddled the German officer. He turned upon the other Germans, firing and shouting to the other Americans to seize the enemy's weapons. In the ensuing fight 21 Germans were killed, many wounded, and the remainder captured. 1st Sgt. Funk's bold action and heroic disregard for his own safety were directly responsible for the recapture of a vastly superior enemy force, which, if allowed to remain free, could have taken the widespread units of Company C by surprise and endangered the entire attack plan.