Peter J. Dalessandro
Congressional Medal of Honor
Peter J. Dalessandro
Congressional Medal of Honor
Technical Sergeant, US Army, Company E. 39th Infantry, 9th
Infantry Division Sergeant DAlessandro was born May 19, 1918.
Entered service at: Watervliet, N.Y.
Presented the Congressional Medal of Honor
by President Harry S. Truman on June 25, 1945
Sergeant DAlessandro was with the 1st Platoon holding an important road junction near Kalterherbery, Germany when on December 22, 1944, in the early morning hours, the enemy began laying down an intense mortar and artillery barrage on his position. This was followed by an all out attack that threatened to overwhelm the position. Sergeant DAlessandro, seeing that his men were becoming disorganized, braved the intense fire to move among his troops with words of encouragement. Advancing to a fully exposed observation post, he adjusted mortar fire upon the attackers, meanwhile firing upon them with his rifle and encouraging his men in halting and repulsing the attack.
Later that same day the enemy launched a second determined attack. Once again, Sergeant DAlessandro, in the face of imminent death, rushed to his forward position and immediately called for mortar fire. After exhausting his rifle ammunition, he crawled 30 yards over exposed ground to secure a light machine gun, returned to his position, and fired upon the enemy at almost point blank range until the gun jammed. He managed to get the gun to fire one more burst, which used up his last rounds, but with these bullets he killed four German soldiers who were on the verge of killing a medic and two wounded soldiers who were in a nearby foxhole.
When the enemy had almost surrounded him, he remained alone, steadfastly facing certain death or capture, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his position as he covered the with draw of his platoon to a second line of defense. As the German hordes swarmed about him, he was last heard calling for a barrage, saying "OK, mortars, let me have it - right in this position!".
The bravery, gallantry and intrepidity shown by Sergeant DAlessandro against an overwhelming enemy attack, saved his company from a complete rout. Sergeant DAlessandro was wounded, captured and held in a prisoner of war camp.
Duty Honor Country
Dedicated May 25, 1998
Marker can be reached from the intersection of 2nd Ave (New York Route 32) and 16th Street, on the right.
Courtesy hmdb.org
