Eric G . Gibson Eric Gunnar Gibson ( October 3 , 1919 – January 28 , 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 . Biography . Born in Sweden , Gibson immigrated to the United States and joined the Army from Chicago , Illinois in February 1941 . By January 28 , 1944 , he was a technician fifth grade serving as a cook in the 30th Infantry Regiment , 3rd Infantry Division . On that day , near Isola Bella , Italy , he was placed in command of a squad during an advance down a streambed . Gibson led his men from the front , repeatedly advancing ahead of the squad and three times attacking German positions alone . He was killed while charging a fourth German position . For these actions , he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later , on September 11 , 1944 . Gibson , aged 24 at his death , was buried in Nora Cemetery , Rice Lake , Wisconsin . His parents had moved to Rice Lake while Gibson was serving in Europe . Medal of Honor citation . Technician Fifth Grade Gibson ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty . On January 28 , 1944 , near Isola Bella , Italy , Tech . 5th Grade Gibson , company cook , led a squad of replacements through their initial baptism of fire , destroyed four enemy positions , killed 5 and captured 2 German soldiers , and secured the left flank of his company during an attack on a strongpoint . Placing himself 50 yards in front of his new men , Gibson advanced down the wide stream ditch known as the Fossa Femminamorta , keeping pace with the advance of his company . An enemy soldier allowed Tech . 5th Grade Gibson to come within 20 yards of his concealed position and then opened fire on him with a machine pistol . Despite the stream of automatic fire which barely missed him , Gibson charged the position , firing his submachine gun every few steps . Reaching the position , Gibson fired pointblank at his opponent , killing him . An artillery concentration fell in and around the ditch ; the concussion from one shell knocked him flat . As he got to his feet Gibson was fired on by two soldiers armed with a machine pistol and a rifle from a position only 75 yards distant . Gibson immediately raced toward the foe . Halfway to the position a machinegun opened fire on him . Bullets came within inches of his body , yet Gibson never paused in his forward movement . He killed one and captured the other soldier . Shortly after , when he was fired upon by a heavy machinegun 200 yards down the ditch , Gibson crawled back to his squad and ordered it to lay down a base of fire while he flanked the emplacement . Despite all warning , Gibson crawled 125 yards through an artillery concentration and the cross fire of 2 machineguns which showered dirt over his body , threw 2 hand grenade s into the emplacement and charged it with his submachine gun , killing 2 of the enemy and capturing a third . Before leading his men around a bend in the stream ditch , Gibson went forward alone to reconnoiter . Hearing an exchange of machine pistol and submachine gun fire , Gibson ' s squad went forward to find that its leader had run 35 yards toward an outpost , killed the machine pistol man , and had himself been killed while firing at the Germans .