Leonard A. Funk, Jr.
| 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 | 1st Battalion, 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) Combat Infantryman Badge Croix de guerre w/ palm (Belgium) |
Leonard Alfred Funk, Jr. (August 27, 1916 – November 20, 1992) was a United States Army Medal of Honor recipient and one of the most decorated soldiers and paratroopers of World War II. He also received the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, and three Purple Hearts.
Biography
US Army
Funk joined the United States Army from Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania in June 1941.[1]
World War II
On January 29, 1945, he was serving as the first sergeant of Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Holzheim Belgium when 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 was honorably discharged from the United States Army in June 1945.[2]
Post-war
Funk worked for the Veteran's Administration after the war and retired in 1972.[3] He died at age 76 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.
Medal of Honor
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.
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
- "Leonard A. Funk, Jr.". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- "Medal of Honor recipients - World War II (A–F)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- "Leonard A. Funk, Jr.". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved September 5, 2011.