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World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
2nd Lt. Arnold L. Bjorklund, US Army
Birth:
Apr. 14, 1918
Clinton
Island County
Washington, USA
Death:
Nov. 28, 1979
Vancouver
Clark County
Washington, USA
World War II News Brief
Crawford and Bjorklund
To Receive Congressional Medal of Honor
Total of 4 Highest Awards for 36th
 An officer and enlisted man of the same company are to receive the nations highest award. 2nd Lt. Arnold L. Bjorklund of Seattle Wash., and Pvt. William J. Crawford of Pueblo, Colo., both of Company I, bring the total of Congressional Medals awarded the division to four. T/Sgt. Charles E. Kelly and Sgt. James T. Logan , are the other two 36ers who wear the Medal of Honor. On a hill 424 near Altavilla, Lt. Bjorklund led his platoon forward to a slope, advancing on the right flank of his company. Pinned down by heavy enemy fire, the Lt. fired his weapon with unerring accuracy until his ammunition was exhausted, then picked up a German rifle, continued to fire until the ammunition was also exhausted. Crawling forward under his own platoons fire with only three hand grenades, to a German machine gun nest, he approached within a few yards of the position and completely destroyed the weapon and killing 3 Germans. Lt. Bjorklund discovered another enemy MG about 20 yards away. Under intense fire he moved within a few yards and hurled a grenade into the position, destroying it and killing two more Germans. His platoon was then able to advance on the crest of the hill. Enemy mortar fire was then concentrated on them. He located the emplacement and although having a platoon at his disposal, moved forward with one hand grenade, and came within 10 yards of the enemy mortar. Hurling the grenade into the position, he destroyed the mortar and killed two of the Germans and forcing the remaining three to flee. These actions permitted the platoon to take successfully its objective. Pvt. Crawford, now a prisoner of War, was a squad scout of the third platoon of Company I. On September 13th, same day as Lt. Bjorklunds action, the third platoon attacked enemy positions on Hill 424. Fire from machine guns on the hill had pinned down Crawfords platoon. While waiting for orders, Crawford crawled forward and silenced one after the other of the machine gun positions, relying almost entirely on the accuracy of his grenade tossing. Part of the crew in the last machine gun nest escaped the grenade blast and started running. He grabbed the German machine gun and turned it on its former operators with deadly accurate fire. Pvt Crawford was captured by the Germans a few hours later. Forty years after his heroic action Pvt. William J. Crawford was presented the Medal of Honor in person by President Ronald Reagan at the 1985 Air Force Academy graduation. Bill Crawford died in 2000 and was buried at the United States Air Force Academy. CITATION: Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 36th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Altavilla, Italy, 13 September 1943. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Birth: Clinton, Wash. G.O. No.: 73, 6 September 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy near Altavilla, Italy, 13 September 1943. When his company attacked a German position on Hill 424, the first platoon, led by 1st Lt. Bjorklund, moved forward on the right flank to the slope of the hill where it was pinned down by a heavy concentration of machinegun and rifle fire. Ordering his men to give covering fire, with only 3 hand grenades, he crept and crawled forward to a German machinegun position located on a terrace along the forward slope. Approaching within a few yards of the position, and while continuously exposed to enemy fire, he hurled 1 grenade into the nest, destroyed the gun and killed 3 Germans. Discovering a second machinegun 20 yards to the right on a higher terrace, he moved under intense enemy fire to a point within a few yards and threw a second grenade into this position, destroying it and killing 2 more Germans. The first platoon was then able to advance 150 yards further up the slope to the crest of the hill, but was again stopped by the fire from a heavy enemy mortar on the reverse slope. 1st Lt. Bjorklund located the mortar and worked his way under little cover to within 10 yards of its position and threw his third grenade, destroying the mortar, killing 2 of the Germans, and forcing the remaining 3 to flee. His actions permitted the platoon to take its objective .
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