Medal of Honor: John C. Sjogren – World War II – May 23, 1945

Name: John C. Sjogren
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Branch: U.S. Army
War: World War II
Unit: Company I, 160th Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division
Date of Action: May 23, 1945
Location: Near San Jose Hacienda, Negros, Philippine Islands

Summary of Action

On 23 May 1945, Staff Sergeant John C. Sjogren displayed extraordinary heroism during combat operations on Negros Island in the Philippines.

American forces were attacking a steep, heavily fortified ridge defended by a company of Japanese soldiers entrenched in spider holes and reinforced by pillboxes with overlapping fields of automatic weapons fire.

The rugged terrain allowed only a single squad to advance at a time, and a key pillbox atop the ridge commanded the only route forward.

Leading the first assault squad, Sjogren deployed his men and moved directly toward the enemy defenses.

While throwing grenades into Japanese positions, he saw his second-in-command severely wounded on the opposite flank.

Without hesitation, Sjogren crossed twenty yards of exposed ground swept by enemy fire and exploding dynamite charges to reach the wounded soldier.

He dragged the man to safety and administered first aid before immediately returning to the attack.

Advancing directly into intense enemy fire, Sjogren killed eight Japanese soldiers hidden in spider holes guarding the approach to the main pillbox.

Crawling to within only a few feet of the fortified position while his men fired into the embrasure, he began dropping grenades through the narrow firing slit.

The Japanese attempted to throw the unexploded grenades back out.

Fragments from one of the exploding grenades wounded Sjogren in the hand and back, but he refused to stop.

Throwing grenades faster than the enemy could return them, he finally destroyed the occupants of the pillbox.

Despite his wounds, Sjogren continued the assault and led his squad against the remaining enemy strongpoints.

Again and again, he advanced directly into hostile fire to destroy additional pillboxes with grenades and close-range attacks.

In one of the most remarkable moments of the battle, Sjogren reached into a firing embrasure and physically ripped a light machine gun from the pillbox while it was still firing before destroying the defenders with grenades.

Throughout the action, he relentlessly pressed the attack despite overwhelming resistance and constant danger.

By the end of the engagement, Sjogren had personally killed forty-three enemy soldiers and destroyed nine pillboxes, opening the way for his company’s successful advance.

His fearless aggression and extraordinary combat leadership became one of the most remarkable small-unit actions of the Pacific War.

Medal of Honor Citation

SJOGREN, JOHN C.

He led an attack against a high precipitous ridge defended by a company of enemy riflemen, who were entrenched in spider holes and supported by well-sealed pillboxes housing automatic weapons with interlocking bands of fire. The terrain was such that only 1 squad could advance at one time; and from a knoll atop a ridge a pillbox covered the only approach with automatic fire. Against this enemy stronghold, S/Sgt. Sjogren led the first squad to open the assault. Deploying his men, he moved forward and was hurling grenades when he saw that his next in command, at the opposite flank, was gravely wounded. Without hesitation he crossed 20 yards of exposed terrain in the face of enemy fire and exploding dynamite charges, moved the man to cover and administered first aid. He then worked his way forward and, advancing directly into the enemy fire, killed 8 Japanese in spider holes guarding the approach to the pillbox. Crawling to within a few feet of the pillbox while his men concentrated their bullets on the fire port, he began dropping grenades through the narrow firing slit. The enemy immediately threw 2 or 3 of these unexploded grenades out, and fragments from one wounded him in the hand and back. However, by hurling grenades through the embrasure faster then the enemy could return them, he succeeded in destroying the occupants. Despite his wounds, he directed his squad to follow him in a systematic attack on the remaining positions, which he eliminated in like manner, taking tremendous risks, overcoming bitter resistance, and never hesitating in his relentless advance. To silence one of the pillboxes, he wrenched a light machinegun out through the embrasure as it was firing before blowing up the occupants with handgrenades. During this action, S/Sgt. Sjogren, by his heroic bravery, aggressiveness, and skill as a soldier, single-handedly killed 43 enemy soldiers and destroyed 9 pillboxes, thereby paving the way for his company’s successful advance.