Medal of Honor: Arnold L. Bjorklund, World War II, September 13, 1943

Arnold L. Bjorklund

War: World War II
Date of Action: September 13, 1943
Unit: 36th Infantry Division
Born: April 14, 1918 – Clinton, Washington

The steep slopes of Hill 424 outside Altavilla, Italy, were alive with enemy fire. German machineguns swept the hillside with withering bursts, cutting down men of the 36th Infantry Division as they clawed for every yard of ground. Among the chaos, First Lieutenant Arnold Bjorklund made a decision that turned desperation into victory.

His platoon had been pinned down, unable to move under the heavy concentration of rifle and machinegun fire pouring from entrenched German positions. Knowing his men could not advance unless someone silenced the guns, Bjorklund ordered covering fire, then crept forward alone with nothing but three hand grenades.

Low-crawling under the sights of enemy gunners, he closed to within yards of the first nest. With one precise throw, his grenade silenced the gun and killed three of its crew. Without pause, he shifted his focus to a second machinegun dug into a terrace twenty yards away. Rising into fire that cracked around him, Bjorklund hurled his second grenade—destroying the weapon and its operators.

Now the platoon could push forward, climbing another 150 yards up the slope before being halted again, this time by a mortar hidden on the reverse side of the crest. Refusing to let momentum falter, Bjorklund once more worked forward on his own. At just ten yards from the crew, he let fly his final grenade, obliterating the weapon, killing two Germans, and forcing the others to flee.

By his courage and single-handed assault, Arnold Bjorklund cleared the way for his platoon to take the hill. His determination under fire not only broke the enemy defense but inspired his men to press on where hesitation might have meant disaster.

Medal of Honor Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Altavilla, Italy, 13 September 1943. When his company attacked a German position on Hill 424, the first platoon, led by 1st Lt. Bjorklund, moved forward on the right flank to the slope of the hill where it was pinned down by a heavy concentration of machinegun and rifle fire. Ordering his men to give covering fire, with only 3 hand grenades, he crept and crawled forward to a German machinegun position located on a terrace along the forward slope. Approaching within a few yards of the position, and while continuously exposed to enemy fire, he hurled 1 grenade into the nest, destroyed the gun and killed 3 Germans. Discovering a second machinegun 20 yards to the right on a higher terrace, he moved under intense enemy fire to a point within a few yards and threw a second grenade into this position, destroying it and killing 2 more Germans. The first platoon was then able to advance 150 yards further up the slope to the crest of the hill, but was again stopped by the fire from a heavy enemy mortar on the reverse slope. 1st Lt. Bjorklund located the mortar and worked his way under little cover to within 10 yards of its position and threw his third grenade, destroying the mortar, killing 2 of the Germans, and forcing the remaining 3 to flee. His actions permitted the platoon to take its objective.