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| PFC Leonard Brostrom earned the Medal of Honor in Leyte while serving with the 17th Infantry Regiment. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7416028 https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2018/10/19/leyte-into-the-valleys-ii/ |
Leonard C. Brostrom never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on November 23, 1919 in Preston, Idaho. His parents Carl and Adolfina were both born in Sweden. His father worked as a laborer and later as a carpenter. Leonard had three younger brothers. By 1940 Leonard had complete four years of high school and was still living at home. He completed a three year mission in California for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He was drafted into the army in March 1942. He became a private first class in Company F, 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. PFC Brostrom first saw action in the Battle of Attu in May 1943 in the Aleutian island. Next he fought in the Battle of Kwajalein in February 1944.
The 7th ID was part of the invasion of Leyte in October 1944. By October 27, the 7th ID had reached the town of Dagami. It was tasked with taking it away from the Japanese. The next day, October 28, 1944, PFC Brostrom's company was pinned down by the well hidden enemy. On his own initiative, PFC Brostrom made a one-man attack on the pillbox that was keeping his company from moving forward. His successful attack cost him his life. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
His Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:
From pillboxes, trenches, and spider holes, so well camouflaged that they could be detected at no more than 20 yards, the enemy poured machinegun and rifle fire, causing severe casualties in the platoon.
Realizing that a key pillbox in the center of the strong point would have to be knocked out if the company were to advance, Private First Class Brostrom, without orders and completely ignoring his own safety, ran forward to attack the pillbox with grenades. He immediately became the prime target for all the riflemen in the area, as he rushed to the rear of the pillbox and tossed grenades through the entrance. Six enemy soldiers left a trench in a bayonet charge against the heroic American, but he killed one and drove the others off with rifle fire.
As he threw more grenades from his completely exposed position he was wounded several times in the abdomen and knocked to the ground. Although suffering intense pain and rapidly weakening from loss of blood, he slowly rose to his feet and once more hurled his deadly missiles at the pillbox. As he collapsed, the enemy began fleeing from the fortification and were killed by riflemen of his platoon.
Private First Class Brostrom died while being carried from the battlefield, but his intrepidity and unhesitating willingness to sacrifice himself in a one-man attack against overwhelming odds enabled his company to reorganize against attack, and annihilate the entire enemy position.
Thank you PFC Brostrom for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Leonard.
Last year on this date I profiled John Wrzesinski, 34th Infantry Division. You can read about John here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Follow on Twitter @ww2fallen100
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
His grave is at Preston Cemetery in Preston, Idaho.
Last year on this date I profiled John Wrzesinski, 34th Infantry Division. You can read about John here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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