Lewis Albanese Lewis Albanese ( April 27 , 1946 – December 1 , 1966 ) was an Italian born United States Army Private First Class during the Vietnam War who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during a fire fight where he freed his platoon from sniper fire . Biography . Louie Albanese ( in Italian Luigi ) was born in Cornedo Vicentino - Vicenza , Italy , graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle , Washington . He briefly worked for Boeing before joining the Army on 26 October 1965 . He received basic training with B Co 1st Bn 11th Inf at Fort Carson , Colorado and was sent to Vietnam in August 1966 as part of the 7th Cavalry attached to the 1st Cavalry Division . In December 1966 , while on patrol in the Republic of Vietnam with Company B of the 5th Battalion , his unit received heavy fire from concealed enemy positions . During an attempted encirclement of the platoon by the Vietnamese forces , Albanese fixed a bayonet to his weapon and charged the enemy positions . Upon arriving and momentarily silencing the enemy fire , Albanese discovered that the ditch he had charged was a well entrenched position . He continued 100 metres through the position , killing at least eight enemy snipers despite running out of ammunition and being forced to fight hand to hand , and being mortally wounded . His actions enabled his unit to advance further , and he posthumously received the Medal of Honor , which was presented to his family at the Pentagon by Secretary of the Army Stanley Rogers Resor on February 16 , 1968 . He is buried in Evergreen - Washelli Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Seattle Washington and his name is found on Panel 12E , Row 131 of the Vietnam War Memorial . Medal of Honor citation . Citation : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty . Pfc . Albanese ' s platoon , while advancing through densely covered terrain to establish a blocking position , received intense automatic weapons fire from close range . As other members maneuvered to assault the enemy position , Pfc . Albanese was ordered to provide security for the left flank of the platoon . Suddenly , the left flank received fire from enemy located in a well - concealed ditch . Realizing the imminent danger to his comrades from this fire , Pfc . Albanese fixed his bayonet and moved aggressively into the ditch . His action silenced the sniper fire , enabling the platoon to resume movement toward the main enemy position . As the platoon continued to advance , the sound of heavy firing emanated from the left flank from a pitched battle that ensued in the ditch which Pfc . Albanese had entered . The ditch was actually a well - organized complex of enemy defenses designed to bring devastating flanking fire on the forces attacking the main position . Pfc . Albanese , disregarding the danger to himself , advanced 100 meters along the trench and killed 6 of the snipers , who were armed with automatic weapons . Having exhausted his ammunition , Pfc . Albanese was mortally wounded when he engaged and killed 2 more enemy soldiers in fierce hand - to - hand combat . His unparalleled actions saved the lives of many members of his platoon who otherwise would have fallen to the sniper fire from the ditch , and enabled his platoon to successfully advance against an enemy force of overwhelming numerical superiority . Pfc . Albanese ' s extraordinary heroism and supreme dedication to his comrades were commensurate with the finest traditions of the military service and remain a tribute to himself , his unit , and the U . S . Army .