#Nicholas Oresko

[georgemcginn]

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Master Sgt. Nicholas Oresko

View Online Medal of Honor Monday: Army Master Sgt. Nicholas Oresko Jan. 22, 2024 | By Katie Lange When Army Master Sgt. Nicholas Oresko talked about the most pivotal actions he took during World War II, he often made it clear that the hardest part was the fact that he was alone. “You don’t know what it feels like to be alone in a situation like that,” he said during a Library of Congress…

[justforbooks]

Nicholas Oresko was born on January 18, 1917. He was an American combat veteran of World War II who received the Medal of Honor for his valorous actions in Germany on January 23, 1945.

Oresko was born in Bayonne, New Jersey. He was the descendant of Ukrainian people.

He joined the US Army in March 1942. He was sent to Europe and arrived in France in September 1944, three months after the Normandy landings. A platoon sergeant in Company C, 1st Battalion, 302nd Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division, he spent the next several months with his unit mopping up pockets of German soldiers who had been bypassed in the Allies' initial push through the northern part of France. In December 1944, the 93th Division was redeployed to replace the 90th Infantry Division as part of General Patton's Third Army. The 95th Division assumed positions opposite the Westwall and the German's 11th Panzer Division.

On January 23, 1945, near Tettingen, Germany, Master Sergeant Oresko single-handedly and under enemy fire, took out a German bunker position that was armed with a machine gun. Seriously wounded by another enemy machine gun from another bunker, he attacked that bunker under fire and destroyed that enemy position. Nine months later on October 30, 1945, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. President Harry Truman formally presented Oresko the medal during a ceremony at the White House.

Medal of Honor citation

Master Sergeant Oresko's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

M/Sgt. Oresko was a platoon leader with Company C, in an attack against strong enemy positions. Deadly automatic fire from the flanks pinned down his unit. Realizing that a machinegun in a nearby bunker must be eliminated, he swiftly worked ahead alone, braving bullets which struck about him, until close enough to throw a grenade into the German position. He rushed the bunker and, with pointblank rifle fire, killed all the hostile occupants who survived the grenade blast. Another machinegun opened up on him, knocking him down and seriously wounding him in the hip. Refusing to withdraw from the battle, he placed himself at the head of his platoon to continue the assault. As withering machinegun and rifle fire swept the area, he struck out alone in advance of his men to a second bunker. With a grenade, he crippled the dug-in machinegun defending this position and then wiped out the troops manning it with his rifle, completing his second self-imposed, 1-man attack. Although weak from loss of blood, he refused to be evacuated until assured the mission was successfully accomplished. Through quick thinking, indomitable courage, and unswerving devotion to the attack in the face of bitter resistance and while wounded, M/Sgt. Oresko killed 12 Germans, prevented a delay in the assault, and made it possible for Company C to obtain its objective with minimum casualties.

Oresko died while undergoing surgery for a broken femur on October 4, 2013. He was 96 years old.

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Bayonne, NJ: Stand Together with Our Muslim Neighbors

Monday, Jan 23 - 5 to 6pm

Nicholas Oresko School, 33 E. 24th St., Bayonne, NJ

We continue our support for the Bayonne Islamic Center at the Bayonne Zoning Board Hearing 

Let's come out again this year as we did one year ago, on Jan 19, 2016 in support of our Muslim neighbor's right to build an Islamic Center in Bayonne, NJ.

We re-issue our Unity Call from last year: A call to all people who support unity and justice in New Jersey, New York and other surrounding areas to come and SUPPORT OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS in their desire to build an Islamic Community Center in Bayonne, NJ.

Stand Together in Unity & Solidarity! Stand Against Racism, Hate & Bigotry! Stand Against Attacks on our Muslim Neighbors!

After more than 1 year, the Islamic Community Center is still waiting for zoning approval.

The Bayonne City Zoning Board is scheduled to decide whether to approve the plan for a Muslim Community Center at a 6pm hearing in Bayonne on Mon. Jan 23. Right-wing and racist forces have spread a wildly distorted message of hate and fear. It is essential to show that they do not speak for us. It is important for all people to speak out against racism and Islamophobia.

Join us, before the Zoning Board meets, for a 5 to 6pm Solidarity Rally.

[obitoftheday]

Obit of the Day: Oldest Living Medal of Honor Recipient

On January 23, 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler's last major European offensive of World War II, Master Sergeant Nicholas Oresko and his platoon were ordered to take a position at the top of a hill near Tettingen, Germany. The men tried twice and were unable to get past the German machine gun batteries defending the position. When Sgt. Oresko ordered a third assault, this time without artillery support, his men refused, - twice. So he decided to advance by himself. 

Although his men followed behind him, Sgt. Oresko approached the first battery alone and threw a grenade inside. He then attacked killing all the German soldiers manning the guns. Severely wounded during the attack, Sgt. Oresko continued to advance. Losing massive amounts of blood he was still able to overtake a second machine gun battery single-handedly.

On October 12, 1945, President Harry Truman presented the 5' 4", 150-pound Master Sergeant with the nation's highest military decoration - The Congressional Medal of Honor.

Sergeant Nicholas Oresko, who would spend his post-war career working for the Veterans Administration, died on October 4, 2013. He was 96 years old, making him the oldest living Medal of Honor winner at the time of his death. (The previous title holder was Barney Hajiro, who died on January 21, 2011 at the age of 94.)

Sources: Congressional Medal of Honor Society, NY Times, NorthJersey.com

(Image of Master Sergeant Nicholas Oresko receiving his Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman on October 12, 1945 is courtesy of patriotden.com)

Other previous Medal of Honor posts:

Pvt. John F. Baker

Sgt. Van Barfoot

Master Chief William Charette

Sgt. Mike Colalillo

Lt. Charles P. Murray

Sgt. Paul Wiedorfer