Clarence B . Craft Clarence Byrle Craft ( September 23 , 1921 – March 28 , 2002 ) 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 . Craft joined the Army from Santa Ana , California in September 1944 , and by May 31 , 1945 was serving as a private first class in Company G , 382nd Infantry Regiment , 96th Infantry Division . On that day , on Okinawa Island , he single - handedly attacked the Japan ese - held " Hen Hill " . After reaching the summit and throwing numerous hand grenade s at enemy positions on the reverse slope , he assaulted the main Japanese trench , chased the defenders into a cave , and destroyed the cave with an explosive device . For these actions , he was awarded the Medal of Honor six months later , on November 1 , 1945 . Craft reached the rank of sergeant first class and served in the Korean War before leaving the Army . He died at age 80 and was buried in Fayetteville National Cemetery , Fayetteville , Arkansas . Medal of Honor citation . Craft ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : He was a rifleman when his platoon spearheaded an attack on Hen Hill , the tactical position on which the entire Naha - Shuri - Yonaburu line of Japanese defense on Okinawa , Ryukyu Islands , was hinged . For 12 days our forces had been stalled , and repeated , heavy assaults by 1 battalion and then another had been thrown back by the enemy with serious casualties . With 5 comrades , Pfc . Craft was dispatched in advance of Company G to feel out the enemy resistance . The group had proceeded only a short distance up the slope when rifle and machinegun fire , coupled with a terrific barrage of grenades , wounded 3 and pinned down the others . Against odds that appeared suicidal , Pfc . Craft launched a remarkable 1 - man attack . He stood up in full view of the enemy and began shooting with deadly marksmanship wherever he saw a hostile movement . He steadily advanced up the hill , killing Japanese soldiers with rapid fire , driving others to cover in their strongly disposed trenches , unhesitatingly facing alone the strength that had previously beaten back attacks in battalion strength . He reached the crest of the hill , where he stood silhouetted against the sky while quickly throwing grenades at extremely short range into the enemy positions . His extraordinary assault lifted the pressure from his company for the moment , allowing members of his platoon to comply with his motions to advance and pass him more grenades . With a chain of his comrades supplying him while he stood atop the hill , he furiously hurled a total of 2 cases of grenades into a main trench and other positions on the reverse slope of Hen Hill , meanwhile directing the aim of his fellow soldiers who threw grenades from the slope below him . He left his position , where grenades from both sides were passing over his head and bursting on either slope , to attack the main enemy trench as confusion and panic seized the defenders . Straddling the excavation , he pumped rifle fire into the Japanese at pointblank range , killing many and causing the others to flee down the trench . Pursuing them , he came upon a heavy machinegun which was still creating havoc in the American ranks . With rifle fire and a grenade he wiped out this position . By this time the Japanese were in complete rout and American forces were swarming over the hill . Pfc . Craft continued down the central trench to the mouth of a cave where many of the enemy had taken cover . A satchel charge was brought to him , and he tossed it into the cave . It failed to explode . With great daring , the intrepid fighter retrieved the charge from the cave , relighted the fuse and threw it back , sealing up the Japs in a tomb . In the local action , against tremendously superior forces heavily armed with rifles , machineguns , mortars , and grenades , Pfc . Craft killed at least 25 of the enemy ; but his contribution to the campaign on Okinawa was of much more far - reaching consequence for Hen Hill was the key to the entire defense line , which rapidly crumbled after his utterly fearless and heroic attack .