James Henry Mills James Henry Mills ( May 2 , 1923 – November 11 , 1973 ) was the only Polk County , Florida native to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II . He joined the Army from his birth city in September 1943 . Private Mills earned the Medal of Honor in 1944 for demonstrating " conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty . " Mills actions allowed his platoon to take its objective without casualties . Mills lost his life twenty - nine years later at the hands of a thief posing as a stranded motorist , whom Mills had stopped to assist , near Gainesville , Florida on November 11 , 1973 . He was laid to rest at Oak Hill Burial Park Cemetery in Lakeland , Florida . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Private , U . S . Army , Company F , 15th Infantry , 3rd Infantry Division . Place and date : Near Cisterna di Littoria , Italy , May 24 , 1944 . Citation : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty . Pvt . Mills , undergoing his baptism of fire , preceded his platoon down a draw to reach a position from which an attack could be launched against a heavily fortified strongpoint . After advancing about 300 yards , Pvt . Mills was fired on by a machinegun only 5 yards distant . He killed the gunner with 1 shot and forced the surrender of the assistant gunner . Continuing his advance , he saw a German soldier in a camouflaged position behind a large bush pulling the pin of a potato - masher grenade . Covering the German with his rifle , Pvt . Mills forced him to drop the grenade and captured him . When another enemy soldier attempted to throw a hand grenade into the draw , Pvt . Mills killed him with 1 shot . Brought under fire by a machinegun , 2 machine pistols , and 3 rifles at a range of only 50 feet , he charged headlong into the furious chain of automatic fire shooting his M 1 from the hip . The enemy was completely demoralized by Pvt . Mills ' daring charge , and when he reached a point within 10 feet of their position , all 6 surrendered . As he neared the end of the draw , Pvt . Mills was brought under fire by a machinegunner 20 yards distant . Despite the fact that he had absolutely no cover , Pvt . Mills killed the gunner with 1 shot . Two enemy soldiers near the machinegunner fired wildly at Pvt . Mills and then fled . Pvt . Mills fired twice , killing 1 of the enemy . Continuing on to the position , he captured a fourth soldier . When it became apparent that an assault on the strongpoint would in all probability cause heavy casualties on the platoon , Pvt . Mills volunteered to cover the advance down a shallow ditch to a point within 50 yards of the objective . Standing on the bank in full view of the enemy less than 100 yards away , he shouted and fired his rifle directly into the position . His ruse worked exactly as planned . The enemy centered his fire on Pvt . Mills . Tracers passed within inches of his body , rifle and machine pistol bullets ricocheted off the rocks at his feet . Yet he stood there firing until his rifle was empty . Intent on covering the movement of his platoon , Pvt . Mills jumped into the draw , reloaded his weapon , climbed out again , and continued to lay down a base of fire . Repeating this action 4 times , he enabled his platoon to reach the designated spot undiscovered , from which position it assaulted and overwhelmed the enemy , capturing 22 Germans and taking the objective without casualties .