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| PERSONALIA |
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| Name: |
Funk, Leonard A. Jr. |
| Date of birth: | August 27th, 1916 (Braddock Township/Pennsylvania, United States)
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| Date of death: |
November 20th, 1992 (Braddock Hills/Pennsylvania, United States)
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| Nationality: |
American |
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BIOGRAPHY:
Leonard Funk has been buried at the Arlington Cemetry. |
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MEDAL OF HONOR - ARMY (MOH)
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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Awarded on:
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September 5th, 1945
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Action:
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Rank and organization: First Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 508th Parachute Infantry, 82d Airborne Division. Place and date: Holzheim, Belgium, 29 January 1945. Entered service at: Wilkinsburg, Pa. Birth: Braddock Township, Pa. G.O. No.: 75, 5 September 1945.
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.
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DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS (DSC)
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. PIR, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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Action:
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Citation:
Leonard A. Funk, Jr., 33070198, First Sergeant, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy on 18 September 1944 in Holland. With great courage, intrepidity, and on his own initiative, Sergeant Funk led a three-men patrol against a German flak battery of three 20-mm guns which were firing on American gliders then circling to land. He drove off all enemy security around the guns and led an assault which killed approximately twenty members of the crews and inflicted other casualties. The flak guns were silenced before effective fire could be placed upon the aircraft, due to the courageous and heroic actions of Sergeant Funk. The courageous action of Sergeant Funk contributed, in large part, to the prompt seizure of his company objective, and assisted in driving the enemy from the landing zone. His initiative, outstanding bravery, and strong personal leadership, despite overwhelming enemy superiority in both numbers and firepower, enabled him to render a distinguished service in the destruction of enemy resistance. His conduct reflects the highest traditions of the Army of the United States. Entered military service from Pennsylvania.
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SILVER STAR
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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BRONZE STAR (BS)
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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PURPLE HEART
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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PURPLE HEART
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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PURPLE HEART
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Rank:
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First Sergeant
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Unit:
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Company C, 508th. Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American" U.S. Army
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Provide alterations or additional information |
| Picture source: |
- Marcel Jans, The Netherlands
- Pop-up grave: Dirk Ouwehand |
| Information source(s): |
- Jordan, Kenneth N., Yesterday’s Heroes – 433 men of World War II awarded the Medal of Honor 1941-1945, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., USA, 1996
- Nordyke, P., All American All the Way – The combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II, Zenith Press, St. Paul, USA, 2005
- Arlingtoncemetery.net
- allamerican82nd.com
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