Robert D . Maxwell Robert Dale Maxwell ( born October 26 , 1920 ) is a former 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 . With the death of Nicholas Oresko on October 4 , 2013 , Maxwell became the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient . Biography . Born on October 26 , 1920 , in Boise , Idaho , Maxwell joined the Army from Larimer County , Colorado . He served overseas as a technician fifth grade with the 3rd Battalion , 7th Infantry Regiment , 3rd Infantry Division . Assigned as the battalion " wire man " , he carried a heavy roll of cable and was tasked with stringing phone lines to the command post . He began the war armed with a M1 Garand rifle , but was later reclassified as a non - combatant and carried only a . 45 caliber pistol . With the 7th Infantry , Maxwell took part in the North African Campaign followed by the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 , marching to Palermo and on to Messina . The unit then landed at Salerno shortly after the Allied invasion of mainland Italy and fought northwards to an area near Cassino . Wounded during the early stages of the subsequent Battle of Anzio in January 1944 , Maxwell spent the next few months recovering at a hospital in Naples . He rejoined his unit in time for the invasion of southern France ( Operation Dragoon ) in August 1944 and the following advance inland . On September 7 , near Besançon in eastern France , Maxwell smothered the blast of an enemy hand grenade with his body to protect those around him . He survived his wounds and seven months later , on April 6 , 1945 , was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions . Maxwell resides in Bend , Oregon , and is the only living Medal of Honor recipient in that state . In 2011 , at the age of 90 , he received his High School Diploma from Bend Senior High . In 2012 , he suffered a minor stroke , but recovered after only a few short days with only minor loss of functionality of his right hand . Medal of Honor citation . Maxwell ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 7 September 1944 , near Besancon , France . Technician 5th Grade Maxwell and 3 other soldiers , armed only with . 45 caliber automatic pistols , defended the battalion observation post against an overwhelming onslaught by enemy infantrymen in approximately platoon strength , supported by 20mm . flak and machinegun fire , who had infiltrated through the battalion ' s forward companies and were attacking the observation post with machinegun , machine pistol , and grenade fire at ranges as close as 10 yards . Despite a hail of fire from automatic weapons and grenade launchers , Technician 5th Grade Maxwell aggressively fought off advancing enemy elements and , by his calmness , tenacity , and fortitude , inspired his fellows to continue the unequal struggle . When an enemy hand grenade was thrown in the midst of his squad , Technician 5th Grade Maxwell unhesitatingly hurled himself squarely upon it , using his blanket and his unprotected body to absorb the full force of the explosion . This act of instantaneous heroism permanently maimed Technician 5th Grade Maxwell , but saved the lives of his comrades in arms and facilitated maintenance of vital military communications during the temporary withdrawal of the battalion ' s forward headquarters .