MOH

Medal of Honor: Beauford T. Anderson – World War II – April 13, 1945

Before dawn on Okinawa, a Japanese counterattack slammed into his company’s flank. He sent his men to cover—then stood alone to stop the assault.

April 28, 2026

Name: Beauford T. Anderson
Rank: Technical Sergeant
Branch: U.S. Army
War: World War II
Unit: 381st Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division
Date of Action: April 13, 1945
Location: Okinawa

Summary of Action

On 13 April 1945, Technical Sergeant Beauford T. Anderson distinguished himself during the battle for Okinawa.

In the darkness before dawn, a determined Japanese counterattack struck the flank of his unit.

Recognizing the danger, Anderson ordered his men to take cover inside an old tomb.

Armed only with a carbine, he remained outside to face the attackers alone.

As enemy troops charged screaming toward his position, he emptied a full magazine into them at point-blank range.

When he found an unexploded enemy mortar round, he seized it and hurled it back into the advancing force.

The round detonated among them, killing several attackers.

Still fighting, Anderson located a box of mortar shells.

He pulled the safety pins, struck the bases against a rock to arm them, and improvised them as hand-thrown bombs.

Alternating between firing his carbine and throwing armed mortar shells, he shattered the assault.

The enemy attack finally broke and withdrew.

Though severely wounded by shrapnel and bleeding heavily, Anderson ignored his injuries and made his way to his company commander to report the action.

His lone stand accounted for twenty-five enemy dead and the destruction of several machine guns and knee mortars.

By single-handedly removing a grave threat to his company’s flank, he displayed valor beyond measure and reflected the highest traditions of the United States Army.

Medal of Honor Citation

ANDERSON, BEAUFORD T.

Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, 381st Infantry, 96th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Okinawa, 13 April 1945.
Entered service at: Soldiers Grove, Wis.
Birth: Eagle, Wis.
G.O. No.: 63, 27 June 1946.

Citation:
He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. When a powerfully conducted predawn Japanese counterattack struck his unit’s flank, he ordered his men to take cover in an old tomb, and then, armed only with a carbine, faced the onslaught alone. After emptying 1 magazine at pointblank range into the screaming attackers, he seized an enemy mortar dud and threw it back among the charging Japs, killing several as it burst. Securing a box of mortar shells, he extracted the safety pins, banged the bases upon a rock to arm them and proceeded alternately to hurl shells and fire his piece among the fanatical foe, finally forcing them to withdraw. Despite the protests of his comrades, and bleeding profusely from a severe shrapnel wound, he made his way to his company commander to report the action. T/Sgt. Anderson’s intrepid conduct in the face of overwhelming odds accounted for 25 enemy killed and several machineguns and knee mortars destroyed, thus single-handedly removing a serious threat to the company’s flank.