Medal of honor: Jack J. Pendleton, World War II, October 12, 1944

Name: Jack J. Pendleton
Rank: Staff Sergeant
War: World War II
Date of Action: October 12, 1944
Unit: Company I, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division (“Old Hickory”)
Entered Service At: Yakima, Washington
Born: Sentinel Butte, North Dakota

Summary of Action
During the bitter house-to-house fighting for the German town of Bardenberg, Pendleton’s company was halted by a deadly machine gun firing down an exposed street — a position that had already claimed several men. Realizing that the strongpoint ahead could not be taken until that single gun was silenced, Pendleton volunteered to lead his squad into the open. He crawled forward alone, under a storm of bullets that tore the cobblestones around him.
After advancing nearly 130 yards, he was struck in the leg and severely wounded — but refused to stop. Ordering his men to stay back, Pendleton dragged himself forward, one agonizing yard at a time, armed only with grenades. The gunfire tore into him again, killing him just ten yards from the enemy nest — but his diversion had worked. While the Germans focused their fire on him, his comrades maneuvered into position, overran the guns, and took the street.
Jack Pendleton’s final act of courage saved his company and secured their victory that day.

Medal of Honor Citation
PENDLETON, JACK J.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company I, 120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. Place and date: Bardenberg, Germany, 12 October 1944. Entered service at: Yakima, Wash. Birth: Sentinel Butte, N. Dak. G.O. No.: 24, 6 April 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 12 October 1944. When Company I was advancing on the town of Bardenberg, Germany, they reached a point approximately two-thirds of the distance through the town when they were pinned down by fire from a nest of enemy machineguns. This enemy strong point was protected by a lone machinegun strategically placed at an intersection and firing down a street which offered little or no cover or concealment for the advancing troops. The elimination of this protecting machinegun was imperative in order that the stronger position it protected could be neutralized. After repeated and unsuccessful attempts had been made to knock out this position, S/Sgt. Pendleton volunteered to lead his squad in an attempt to neutralize this strongpoint. S/Sgt. Pendleton started his squad slowly forward, crawling about 10 yards in front of his men in the advance toward the enemy gun. After advancing approximately 130 yards under the withering fire, S/Sgt. Pendleton was seriously wounded in the leg by a burst from the gun he was assaulting. Disregarding his grievous wound, he ordered his men to remain where they were, and with a supply of handgrenades he slowly and painfully worked his way forward alone. With no hope of surviving the veritable hail of machinegun fire which he deliberately drew onto himself, he succeeded in advancing to within 10 yards of the enemy position when he was instantly killed by a burst from the enemy gun. By deliberately diverting the attention of the enemy machine gunners upon himself, a second squad was able to advance, undetected, and with the help of S/Sgt. Pendleton’s squad, neutralized the lone machinegun, while another platoon of his company advanced up the intersecting street and knocked out the machinegun nest which the first gun had been covering. S/Sgt. Pendleton’s sacrifice enabled the entire company to continue the advance and complete their mission at a critical phase of the action.