Medal of Honor: Joe Hayashi - World War II - April 20 & 22, 1945

Name: Joe Hayashi
Rank: Private
Branch: U.S. Army
War: World War II
Unit: 442d Regimental Combat Team
Date of Action: April 20 & 22, 1945
Location: Near Tendola, Italy

Summary of Action

On 20 and 22 April 1945, Private Joe Hayashi distinguished himself during fierce combat near Tendola, Italy.

On 20 April, Hayashi’s unit was ordered to seize a strongly defended hill commanding all approaches to the village.

Leading his men skillfully forward, he brought them within seventy-five yards of enemy positions before they were detected and met with heavy fire.

When several comrades were wounded, Hayashi dragged them to safety.

He then returned alone into enemy fire and deliberately exposed himself to direct and adjust mortar fire onto hostile emplacements.

His accurate guidance devastated the defenders, destroying three machine guns, killing twenty-seven enemy soldiers, and wounding many more.

With the enemy shaken, Hayashi boldly led the remaining members of his squad in the assault and captured the hill.

Two days later, on 22 April, Hayashi again led his squad during the attack on Tendola.

He maneuvered his men up a steep terraced hill to within one hundred yards of the enemy.

Crawling through intense fire, he reached a hostile machine-gun position and threw a grenade, killing one defender and forcing the rest of the crew to surrender.

Seeing four enemy machine guns firing on other elements of his platoon, Hayashi attacked again.

He hurled another grenade and destroyed a second machine-gun nest.

Then he crawled to the flank of another position, killed four enemy soldiers, and drove the survivors away.

As he attempted to continue the pursuit, he was mortally wounded by machine-pistol fire.

Through fearless leadership, repeated acts of personal valor, and complete devotion to mission and comrades, Joe Hayashi helped secure victory and reflected the highest traditions of the United States Army.

Medal of Honor Citation

HAYASHI, JOE

Private Joe Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 20 and 22 April 1945, near Tendola, Italy. On 20 April 1945, ordered to attack a strongly defended hill that commanded all approaches to the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi skillfully led his men to a point within 75 yards of enemy positions before they were detected and fired upon. After dragging his wounded comrades to safety, he returned alone and exposed himself to small arms fire in order to direct and adjust mortar fire against hostile emplacements. Boldly attacking the hill with the remaining men of his squad, he attained his objective and discovered that the mortars had neutralized three machine guns, killed 27 men, and wounded many others. On 22 April 1945, attacking the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi maneuvered his squad up a steep, terraced hill to within 100 yards of the enemy. Crawling under intense fire to a hostile machine gun position, he threw a grenade, killing one enemy soldier and forcing the other members of the gun crew to surrender. Seeing four enemy machine guns delivering deadly fire upon other elements of his platoon, he threw another grenade, destroying a machine gun nest. He then crawled to the right flank of another machine gun position where he killed four enemy soldiers and forced the others to flee. Attempting to pursue the enemy, he was mortally wounded by a burst of machine pistol fire. The dauntless courage and exemplary leadership of Private Hayashi enabled his company to attain its objective. Private Hayashi’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.