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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Harold G. Kiner

Private Harold G. Kiner, Army, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on October 2, 1944 near Palenberg, Germany during World War II.

World War II October 2, 1944Posthumous

Private Harold G. Kiner was a soldier in the U.S. Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on October 2, 1944 near Palenberg, Germany during World War II. At the time he was serving with Company F, 117th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. Kiner was 20 years old.

Kiner was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded.

Kiner was born on April 14, 1924 in Aline, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. His Medal of Honor is credited to Enid, Garfield County, Oklahoma. He is buried at Aline Cemetery in Aline, Oklahoma.

Kiner is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 25 credited to Oklahoma.

★ Covered a Grenade★ Assaults on Machine-Gun Nests★ Gave Their Lives

Official Medal of Honor citation

With four other men, he was leading in a frontal assault 2 October 1944, on a Siegfried line pillbox near Palenberg, Germany. Machine-gun fire from the strongly defended enemy position 25 yards away pinned down the attackers. The Germans threw hand grenades, one of which dropped between Pvt. Kiner and two other men. With no hesitation, Pvt. Kiner hurled himself upon the grenade, smothering the explosion. By his gallant action and voluntary sacrifice of his own life, he saved his two comrades from serious injury or death.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Wounds and death in action

  • Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (October 2, 1944).
  • Age at death: 20
  • Resting place: Aline Cemetery

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: World War II.

Places

  • Born: Aline — map
  • Died: Übach-Palenberg — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Oklahoma →

Timeline

  1. April 14, 1924
    Born in Aline, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma
  2. October 2, 1944
    Act of valor — near Palenberg, Germany
    Age 20. Company F, 117th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division Killed in action.
  3. Resting place
    Aline Cemetery
    Aline, Oklahoma

Biography

Harold G. Kiner (April 14, 1924 – October 2, 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 “Harold G. Kiner”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

More World War II recipients from Oklahoma

JC John R. Crews Staff Sergeant · Army World War II · 1945 Donald Joseph Gott First Lieutenant · Air Force World War II · 1944 ✦ Ernest "Chief" Childers Second Lieutenant · Army World War II · 1943 TM Troy A. McGill Sergeant · Army World War II · 1944 ✦ John Lucian Smith Major · Marine Corps World War II · 1942 Albert Ernest Schwab Private First Class · Marine Corps World War II · 1945 ✦
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.