World War II Honoree

Dale Eldon Christensen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cameron Township, Iowa

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. SECOND LIEUTENANT, U.S. ARMY, TROOP E, 112TH CAVALRY REGIMENT. PLACE AND DATE; DRINIUMOR RIVER, NEW GUINEA, JULY 16-19, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT GRAY, IOWA. CITATION: 'FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY ALONG THE DRINIUMOR RIVER, NEW GUINEA, FROM JULY 16, 1944 TO JULY 19, 1944. 2ND LIENTENANT CHRISTENSEN REPEATEDLY DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF BY CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY IN THE CONTINUOUS HEAVY FIGHTING WHICH OCCURRED IN THIS AREA FROM JULY 16 THROUGH JULY 19, 1944; PLATOON ENGAGED IN A SAVAGE FIRE FIGHT IN WHICH MUCH DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY 1 ENEMY MACHINE GUN EFFECTIVELY PLACED. 2ND LIEUTENANT CHRISTENSEN ORDERED MEN TO REMAIN UNDER COVER, CREPT FORWARD UNDER FIRE AND AT A RANGE OF 15 YARDS PUT THE GUN OUT OF ACTION WITH HAND GRENADES. AGAIN ON JULY 19, 1944 WHILE ATTACKING AN ENEMY POSITION STRONG IN MORTARS AND MACHINE GUNS, PLATOON WAS PINNED TO THE GROUND BY INTENSE FIRE, ORDERED MEN TO REMAIN UNDER COVER AND CREPT FORWARD ALONE TO LOCATE DEFINITELY THE ENEMY AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND THE BEST DIRECTION FROM WHICH TO ATTACK. ALTHOUGH HIS RIFLE WAS STRUCK BY ENEMY FIRE AND KNOCKED FROM HIS HANDS HE CONTINUED HIS RECONNAISSANCE, LOCATED 5 ENEMY MACHINE GUNS AND DESTROYED 1 WITH HAND GRENADES, REJOINED PLATOON THEN LED HIS MEN TO THE POINT SELECTED FOR LAUNCHING THE ATTACK, CALLED ENCOURAGEMENT AND LED THE CHARGE. THIS ASSAULT WAS SUCCESSFUL AND THE ENEMY WAS DRIVEN FROM THE POSITIONS WITH A LOSS OF 4 MORTARS AND 10 MACHINE GUNS AND LEAVING MANY DEAD ON THE FIELD. ON AUGUST 4, 1944, NEAR AFUA, DUTCH NEW GUINEA, 2ND LIEUTENANT CHRISTENSEN WAS KILLED IN ACTION ABOUT 2 YARDS FROM HIS OBJECTIVE WHILE LEADING HIS PLATOON IN AN ATTACK ON AN ENEMY MACHINE GUN POSITION. 2ND LIEUTENANT CHRISTENSEN'S LEADERSHIP, INTREPIDITY AND REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED GALLANTRY IN ACTION AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, EXEMPLIFY THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES.'