Medal of Honor: Donald E. Rudolph – U.S. Army – World War II – Philippines

Name: Donald E. Rudolph
Rank: Second Lieutenant (then Technical Sergeant)
Branch: U.S. Army
Unit: Company E, 20th Infantry Regiment, 6th Infantry Division
Place: Muñoz, Luzon, Philippine Islands
Entered Service At: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Born: South Haven, Minnesota
General Orders: No. 77, 10 September 1945

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Summary of Action

At Muñoz, Luzon, during one of the most bitter and fortified fights of the Philippine Campaign, 2d Lt. Donald E. Rudolph, then serving as an acting platoon leader, repeatedly placed himself in the most exposed positions on the battlefield to break a deadlocked advance.

While administering first aid under fire, he observed enemy fire pouring from a nearby culvert. Crawling forward alone with rifle and grenades, he eliminated the concealed enemy force inside. He then advanced across open ground toward a series of enemy pillboxes that had immobilized his company.

At the first pillbox, he hurled a grenade through the embrasure and charged the position, tearing away its wood-and-tin covering with his bare hands before dropping another grenade inside and destroying both the gun and its crew. Seizing a pick mattock, he advanced to the next pillbox, pierced its roof, dropped a grenade inside, fired rifle rounds into the opening, and sealed it shut with earth—smothering any remaining defenders.

Moving methodically and without pause, 2d Lt. Rudolph neutralized a total of eight pillboxes. Later, when an enemy tank counterattacked his platoon, he advanced under covering fire, climbed onto the tank, and dropped a white phosphorus grenade through the turret, destroying the crew.

His single-handed assault shattered a fortified enemy stronghold and opened the way for a decisive breakthrough—one of the defining actions of the Luzon campaign.

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Medal of Honor Citation

2d Lt. Rudolph (then T/Sgt.) was acting as platoon leader at Munoz, Luzon, Philippine Islands. While administering first aid on the battlefield, he observed enemy fire issuing from a nearby culvert. Crawling to the culvert with rifle and grenades, he killed 3 of the enemy concealed there. He then worked his way across open terrain toward a line of enemy pillboxes which had immobilized his company. Nearing the first pillbox, he hurled a grenade through its embrasure and charged the position. With his bare hands he tore away the wood and tin covering, then dropped a grenade through the opening, killing the enemy gunners and destroying their machinegun. Ordering several riflemen to cover his further advance, 2d Lt. Rudolph seized a pick mattock and made his way to the second pillbox. Piercing its top with the mattock, he dropped a grenade through the hole, fired several rounds from his rifle into it and smothered any surviving enemy by sealing the hole and the embrasure with earth. In quick succession he attacked and neutralized 6 more pillboxes. Later, when his platoon was attacked by an enemy tank, he advanced under covering fire, climbed to the top of the tank and dropped a white phosphorus grenade through the turret, destroying the crew. Through his outstanding heroism, superb courage, and leadership, and complete disregard for his own safety, 2d Lt. Rudolph cleared a path for an advance which culminated in one of the most decisive victories of the Philippine campaign.