Medal of Honor: Peter J. Dalessondro – World War II – December 22, 1944

Name: Peter J. Dalessondro
Rank: Technical Sergeant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company E, 39th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division
Place and Date: Near Kalterherberg, Germany – 22 December 1944
Entered Service At: Watervliet, New York
Born: May 19, 1918 – Watervliet, New York
Departed: December 22, 1944 (Killed in Action)
Accredited To: New York

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Summary of Action

On 22 December 1944, during the height of the German Ardennes counteroffensive, Technical Sergeant Peter J. Dalessondro was serving with the 1st Platoon of Company E, defending a vital road junction on high ground near Kalterherberg, Germany.

In the early morning hours, the enemy opened a devastating artillery and mortar barrage, followed by a determined ground assault that threatened to overwhelm the American position. As confusion spread among his men, T/Sgt. Dalessondro moved fearlessly through intense enemy fire, rallying and encouraging his platoon.

Exposing himself completely, he advanced to a forward observation post where he directed mortar fire onto the advancing Germans while simultaneously engaging them with his rifle. His leadership and fire control played a decisive role in halting the initial assault.

Later that day, the enemy launched a second, even more determined attack. Once again, Dalessondro rushed forward under heavy fire to adjust mortar concentrations. When his rifle ammunition was exhausted, he crawled more than 30 yards across open ground to retrieve a light machinegun, returned to his position, and fired at the enemy at nearly point-blank range until the weapon jammed.

With a final burst from the machinegun—using his last remaining round—he killed four German soldiers who were moments away from murdering an aid man and two wounded Americans in a nearby foxhole.

As German forces nearly encircled his position, Dalessondro remained alone, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his own location to cover the withdrawal of his platoon to a secondary defensive line. His final transmission was a calm and resolute call for fire directly onto his position.

His selfless stand saved his company from annihilation.

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Medal of Honor Citation

He was with the 1st Platoon holding an important road junction on high ground near Kalterherberg, Germany, on 22 December 1944. In the early morning hours, the enemy after laying down an intense artillery and mortar barrage, followed through with an all-out attack that threatened to overwhelm the position. T/Sgt. Dalessondro, seeing that his men were becoming disorganized, braved the intense fire to move among them with words of encouragement. Advancing to a fully exposed observation post, he adjusted mortar fire upon the attackers, meanwhile firing upon them with his rifle and encouraging his men in halting and repulsing the attack. Later in the day the enemy launched a second determined attack. Once again, T/Sgt. Dalessondro, in the face of imminent death, rushed to his forward position and immediately called for mortar fire. After exhausting his rifle ammunition, he crawled 30 yards over exposed ground to secure a light machinegun, returned to his position, and fired upon the enemy at almost point-blank range until the gun jammed. He managed to get the gun to fire one more burst, which used up his last round, but with these bullets he killed four German soldiers who were on the verge of murdering an aid man and two wounded soldiers in a nearby foxhole. When the enemy had almost surrounded him, he remained alone, steadfastly facing almost certain death or capture, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his outpost as he covered the withdrawal of his platoon to a second line of defense. As the German hordes swarmed about him, he was last heard calling for a barrage, saying, “OK, mortars, let me have it—right in this position!” The gallantry and intrepidity shown by T/Sgt. Dalessondro against an overwhelming enemy attack saved his company from complete rout.