In May, 1945, soldiers from the 382nd Inf were tasked with capturing a 450ft hill on the southern part of Okinawa. After a 10 day stalemate and heavy American casualties, Pfc. Clarence B. Craft decided to take on the hill himself.
Under heavy fire, he rushed up the slope and began taking out enemy positions with hand grenades. Once on top, he wiped out more Japanese at point blank range with his M1 and the butt of his rifle.
Once he cleared the entire defensive line by himself, he pushed forward and took out 2 MG nests and 3 mortar crews.
He then caught sight of some surviving Japs who, half-crazy with fear and bewilderment, were making for caves in the hillside.
He chased them and threw a satchel charge in the mouth of the cave, killing everyone inside.
In a span of 15 minutes, he managed to kill a total of 48 Japanese and accomplishing what 2 infantry battalions were tasked to do in the first place.
Afterward, his XO summed up just about everyone’s feelings when he exclaimed: “I couldn’t help but think that the fighting fool was determined to get out of the Army, either by way of a Congressional Medal of Honor or by dying.” Craft simply replied: “I wasn’t crazy or rattled. I knew what I was doing all the time.” Craft received the Medal of Honor and went on to fight in Korea as well. He passed away at the age of 80 from an overdose of a lifetime of free pussy and beer. #hardfuck #ww2 #stayzero #zerofoxtrot