Robert B . Nett Robert Burton Nett ( June 13 , 1922 – October 19 , 2008 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the U . S . military ' s highest decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his actions during the campaign to recapture the Philippines in World War II . Early life . A native of New Haven , Connecticut , Nett enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1940 at age 17 . The minimum enlistment age was 18 years , but Nett was able to join by creasing his birth certificate so that his year of birth was obscured . Two years later , he was stationed at Fort Benning , Georgia , where he was graduated from Officer Candidate School . Nett was then sent to the Philippines , where he met his future wife , Frances , an Army nurse . World War II . By December 14 , 1944 , Nett was a lieutenant in Company E of the 305th Infantry Regiment , 77th Infantry Division . On that day , near Cognon , Leyte , during the Battle of Ormoc Bay , Nett led his company in an assault against a heavily fortified Japan ese position . Despite being seriously wounded twice in hand - to - hand fighting , he continued to lead his men until being wounded a third time . After making arrangements for the leadership of his company , he left the front lines to seek medical aid . Nett was able to rejoin his unit for the Okinawa Campaign . His division was then sent to Cebu and began training for the planned invasion of Japan . The operation was canceled after the surrender of Japan in August 1945 . . On February 8 , 1946 , Nett was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Cognon . A ceremony was held in his hometown of New Haven , and President Harry S . Truman was to have presented him with the medal there , but had to cancel in order to attend to the formation of the United Nations in California , Nett told a reporter . Medal of Honor citation . Nett ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : " He commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced enemy battalion which had held up the American advance for 2 days from its entrenched positions around a 3 - story concrete building . With another infantry company and armored vehicles , Company E advanced against heavy machinegun and other automatic weapons fire with Lt . Nett spearheading the assault against the strongpoint . During the fierce hand - to - hand encounter which ensued , he killed 7 deeply entrenched Japanese with his rifle and bayonet and , although seriously wounded , gallantly continued to lead his men forward , refusing to relinquish his command . Again he was severely wounded , but , still unwilling to retire , pressed ahead with his troops to assure the capture of the objective . Wounded once more in the final assault , he calmly made all arrangements for the resumption of the advance , turned over his command to another officer , and then walked unaided to the rear for medical treatment . By his remarkable courage in continuing forward through sheer determination despite successive wounds , Lt . Nett provided an inspiring example for his men and was instrumental in the capture of a vital strongpoint . " Postwar life . Nett continued his 33 years of service in the Army after the war , retiring with the rank of colonel . He gave frequent talks on leadership and duty , lecturing to every class of the Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) ; he was frequently invited to speak to the Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning . He is considered the " Father of the Officer Candidate School " . He was inducted into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame and the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame , an honor reserved for OCS graduates who received the Medal of Honor or rose to the rank of colonel . After his retirement , he spent 17 years as a teacher in the Columbus , Georgia , school system . Nett died on October 19 , 2008 . He was survived by his wife , Frances , of Columbus , Georgia . Their son , Robert Nett Jr . , also served in the U . S . Army .