Leonard A . Funk , Jr . Leonard Alfred Funk , Jr . ( August 27 , 1916 – November 20 , 1992 ) 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 . First Sergeant Funk was one of the most highly decorated soldiers to ever serve in the United States Army , having earned every valor medal bestowed by the United States of America , as well as one of the greatest leaders of men to ever serve in combat in the United States Army . Biography . Funk joined the Army from Wilkinsburg , Pennsylvania in June 1941 , and by January 29 , 1945 was serving as a first sergeant in Company C , 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment , 82nd Airborne Division . On that day , at Holzheim , Belgium , he encountered a group of more than 80 German soldiers , most of whom had previously been captured by American forces but , with the help of a German patrol , had managed to overwhelm their guards . Despite being greatly outnumbered , Funk opened fire and called for the captured American guards to seize the Germans ' weapons . He and the guards successfully killed or re - captured all of the German soldiers . For these actions , he was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 5 , 1945 . Funk was discharged in June 1945 . After the war , he worked for the Veteran ' s Administration , retiring in 1972 . He died at age 76 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington County , Virginia . Medal of Honor citation . First Sergeant Funk ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : 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 .