On March 15, 1945, PFC Silvestre J. Herrera's unit (36th Div, 142nd) found itself engaged in combat in a forest in the vicinity of the Bas-Rhin town of Mertzwiller. His platoon came under heavy enemy machine gun fire from the woods, forcing most of the men to seek cover. Herrera charged the enemy stronghold single-handedly, firing his M1 rifle from his hip and ending the threat with a pair of grenades; capturing the position and 8 German soldiers.
Later that same day, his platoon was attacked and pinned down by a second enemy stronghold, protected by an extensive mine field. Ignoring the danger Herrera again single-handedly charged, seeking to draw fire away from his comrades. A mine exploded and shattered one leg below the knee. Staggering up on his good leg he stepped on a second, severing that leg below the knee. Despite his wounds, Herrera laid machine gun fire allowing members of his platoon to skirt the mine field and capture the enemy position.
As Herrera lay in the Army hospital recovering from his wounds, President Truman was not sure the young man would be well enough for a formal presentation of the Medal of Honor. However, on August 23, 1945, Silvestre rolled his wheelchair across the White House lawn so that the President could present him with his award.
"He told me he would rather be awarded the Medal of Honor than be president of the United States," Herrera recalled in a 2005 interview. "That made me even more proud."
Silvestre Herrera died at the age of 90, in 2007 and rest assured that his entire life is the example of what many should be. #hero #badass #ww2