At the age of 22, Pfc. Alejandro Ruiz was a young infantryman with the 165th Infantry, 27th ID fighting brutal battles against the Japanese on Okinawa.
On April 28, 1945, Ruiz and his men were ambushed by a series of pilloboxes and sustained close to 90% casualties. Unscathed, Ruiz ran towards a pillbox under murderous enemy fire. Upon climbing the structure, a Japanese charged at him and Ruiz beat the soldier to death with his BAR and then cleared the bunker by firing inside the aperture, singlehandedly killing all 12 inside.
With all enemy dead, and with a minor flesh wound, Ruiz found a place to sit down and lit a cigarette when the survivors told him they were going to recommend him for the Medal of Honor. Ruiz didn't think about it and continued to fight alongside his men until the end of the war.
It wasn't until he returned to the States that he was indeed awarded the Medal.
Ruiz remained in the service for another 18 years, serving in combat once again in Korea. #hardfuck #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #ww2 #hero #badass