Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private First Class Floyd K. Lindstrom was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on November 11, 1943 near Mignano, Italy during World War II. At the time he was serving with Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. Lindstrom was 31 years old.
The medal was presented on April 25, 1944.
Lindstrom was born on June 21, 1912 in Holdrege, Phelps County, Nebraska. His Medal of Honor is credited to Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. Lindstrom died on February 3, 1944 in Italy, at the age of 31. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His medal is held by Pioneers Museum, Colorado Springs, CO.
Lindstrom is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 24 credited to Colorado.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 11 November 1943, this soldier's platoon was furnishing machine-gun support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy, when the enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen and half the machine-gun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Pfc. Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and outnumbered five to one, yet he immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and opened fire with his single gun. The enemy centered fire on him with machine gun, machine pistols, and grenades. Unable to knock out the enemy nest from his original position, Pfc. Lindstrom picked up his own heavy machine gun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small-arms fire which was striking all around him. From this new site, only 10 yards from the enemy machine gun, he engaged it in an intense duel. Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners because they were behind a large rock, he charged uphill under a steady stream of fire, killed both gunners with his pistol, and dragged their gun down to his own men, directing them to employ it against the enemy. Disregarding heavy rifle fire, he returned to the enemy machine-gun nest for two boxes of ammunition, came back, and resumed withering fire from his own gun. His spectacular performance completely broke up the German counterattack. Pfc. Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain death.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and injuries
What the citation records about his wounds:
Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners because they were behind a large rock, he charged uphill under a steady stream of fire, killed both gunners with his pistol, and dragged their gun down to his own men, directing them to employ it against the enemy.
- Awarded posthumously — died February 3, 1944.
- Age at death: 31
- Resting place: Evergreen Cemetery
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Education: Cheyenne Mountain High School
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Colorado →
Timeline
- June 21, 1912Born in Holdrege, Phelps County, Nebraska
- November 11, 1943Act of valor — near Mignano, ItalyAge 31. Company H, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division
- February 3, 1944Died in ItalyAge 31.
- April 25, 1944Medal of Honor presented posthumously
- Resting placeEvergreen CemeteryColorado Springs, Colorado
Biography
Floyd Kenneth Lindstrom (June 21, 1912 – February 3, 1944) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
From the Wikipedia article “Floyd K. Lindstrom”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
