Medal of Honor: Leonard A. Funk, Jr. – World War II – Belgium – January 1945

Name: Leonard A. Funk Jr.
Rank: First Sergeant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division
Place: Holzheim, Belgium
Entered Service At: Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Born: Braddock Township, Pennsylvania

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Summary of Action

On 29 January 1945, near Holzheim, Belgium, First Sergeant Leonard A. Funk, Jr., distinguished himself by extraordinary leadership and fearless initiative during an advance conducted in brutal winter conditions. After marching approximately fifteen miles through a driving snowstorm and waist-deep drifts, Company C prepared to attack German-held positions under direct artillery fire and harassing enemy fire from the flank.

When the company executive officer was wounded early in the assault, First Sergeant Funk immediately assumed his duties. Gathering headquarters personnel and reorganizing them into a combat element, he personally led this improvised force alongside the 3d Platoon in a systematic assault through the village. Under his aggressive and disciplined leadership, the unit cleared fifteen houses, captured thirty enemy soldiers, and suffered no casualties.

As Company C overran Holzheim and captured approximately eighty prisoners, only four men could be spared to guard them while the rest of the understrength company continued mopping up resistance. Using deception, an enemy patrol overpowered the guards, freed the prisoners, and began preparing an attack against Company C from the rear.

Unaware of the situation, First Sergeant Funk walked around a building and suddenly found himself surrounded by the freed enemy force. A German officer ordered him to surrender, pressing a machine pistol into his stomach. Though hopelessly outnumbered and facing near-certain death, First Sergeant Funk feigned compliance. As he slowly began to unsling his submachine gun, he suddenly brought it to bear and killed the German officer at point-blank range.

Immediately turning his fire on the remaining enemy and shouting for nearby Americans to seize weapons, First Sergeant Funk ignited a fierce close-range fight. In the ensuing engagement, 21 German soldiers were killed, many wounded, and the remainder captured. His single-handed action eliminated a deadly threat to Company C’s rear and prevented a surprise attack that could have endangered the entire operation.

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Medal of Honor Citation

He distinguished himself by gallant, intrepid actions against the enemy. After advancing 15 miles in a driving snowstorm, the American force prepared to attack through waist-deep drifts. The company executive officer became a casualty, and 1st Sgt. Funk immediately assumed his duties, forming headquarters soldiers into a combat unit for an assault in the face of direct artillery shelling and harassing fire from the right flank.

Under his skillful and courageous leadership, this miscellaneous group and the 3d Platoon attacked 15 houses, cleared them, and took 30 prisoners without suffering a casualty. The fierce drive of Company C quickly overran Holzheim, netting some 80 prisoners, who were placed under a 4-man guard, all that could be spared, while the rest of the understrength unit went about mopping up isolated points of resistance.

An enemy patrol, by means of a ruse, succeeded in capturing the guards and freeing the prisoners, and had begun preparations to attack Company C from the rear when 1st Sgt. Funk walked around the building and into their midst. He was ordered to surrender by a German officer who pushed a machine pistol into his stomach. Although overwhelmingly outnumbered and facing almost certain death, 1st Sgt. Funk, pretending to comply with the order, began slowly to unsling his submachine gun from his shoulder and then, with lightning motion, brought the muzzle into line and riddled the German officer.

He turned upon the other Germans, firing and shouting to the other Americans to seize the enemy’s weapons. In the ensuing fight 21 Germans were killed, many wounded, and the remainder captured. 1st Sgt. Funk’s bold action and heroic disregard for his own safety were directly responsible for the recapture of a vastly superior enemy force, which, if allowed to remain free, could have taken the widespread units of Company C by surprise and endangered the entire attack plan.