The Terrible Death Of Leonard Funk: The Most Decorated Paratrooper of World War II and Hero of Holzheim.

"Pictured Leonard poses with Shorty, an 8-month-old puppy, attached to his parachute equipment. The pup belonged to a fellow soldier and went with him — successfully — on the jump" -US Signal Corps Archive

First Sergeant Leonard Funk, Company C, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division was the most decorated paratrooper of World War II, earning the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts, in addition to his Medal of Honor.

⭐First Sergeant Funk's Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows:

On January 29th, 1945 First Sergeant Leonard Funk distinguished himself by gallant, intrepid actions against the enemy. After advancing 15 miles in a driving snowstorm, the American force prepared to attack through waist-deep drifts.

The Company Executive Officer became a casualty, and 1st Sgt. Funk immediately assumed his duties, forming Headquarters soldiers into a combat unit for an assault in the face of direct artillery shelling and harassing fire from the right flank.

Under his skillful and courageous leadership, this miscellaneous group and the 3rd Platoon attacked 15 houses, cleared them, and took 30 prisoners without suffering a casualty.

The fierce drive of Company C quickly overran Holzheim, netting some 80 prisoners, who were placed under a four-man guard, all that could be spared, while the rest of the understrength unit went about mopping up isolated points of resistance.

An enemy patrol, by means of a ruse, succeeded in capturing the guards and freeing the prisoners, and had begun preparations to attack Company C from the rear when 1st Sgt. Funk walked around the building and into their midst. He was ordered to surrender by a German officer.

Although overwhelmingly outnumbered and facing almost certain death, First Sergeant Funk, pretending to comply with the order, began slowly to unsling his weapon from his shoulder and then, with lightning motion, brought the muzzle into line and eliminated the German officer.

He turned upon the other Germans, firing and shouting to the other Americans to seize the enemy's weapons. In the ensuing fight 21 Germans were eliminated, many wounded, and the remainder captured.

First Sergeant Funk's bold action and heroic disregard for his own safety were directly responsible for the recapture of a vastly superior enemy force, which, if allowed to remain free, could have taken the widespread units of Company C by surprise and endangered the entire attack plan. - US Army

After the war Leonard returned to McKeesport Pennsylvania and worked for the Veterans Administration near Pittsburgh until his retirement in 1972. In May 2018, he was inducted into the 82nd Airborne Division's Hall of Fame.

First Sergeant Leonard Funk passed away on November 20, 1992 at the age of 76. He lies in rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Lest We Forget.

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