On December 15, 1944, PFC Dirk J Vlug (1/126th IR, 32nd ID) was manning a roadblock in the vicinity of Limon, Philippines when all of the sudden a group of Japanese tanks attacked his position. Vlug grabbed his pistol, a rocket launcher with some rounds of ammunition and advanced towards the enemy steel; alone and under intense machine gun and 37-mm fire. Loading single-handedly, he destroyed the first tank, killing its occupants with a single round. As the crew of the second tank started to dismount and attack him, he killed 1 of them with his pistol, forcing the survivors to return to their vehicle, which he then destroyed with a second round. Three more hostile tanks moved up the road, so he flanked the first and eliminated it, and then, despite a hail of enemy fire, pressed forward again to destroy another. With his last round of ammunition he struck the remaining vehicle, causing it to crash down a steep embankment.
For his actions, PFC Vlug received the Medal of Honor and lived till the age of 79.
On the same day, location and part of the same unit, in an unrelated action, Sgt. Leroy Johnson sacrificed his life by smothering two enemy grenades with his body to save the lives of his squad. He too, was awarded the Medal of Honor. The greatest generation indeed. #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #ww2 #heroes #military