Emile Deleau Jr.

Four enemy-held houses stood between his battalion and its objective. At Oberhoffen, France, one American sergeant fought his way through them, confronting machine guns, snipers, and overwhelming enemy fire. His extraordinary courage would help his fellow soldiers advance, but he would never live to see the victory.

Sergeant Emile Deleau Jr., born on 28 June 1923 in Lansing, Ohio, was a United States Army soldier and posthumous Medal of Honor recipient whose heroism became part of the history of World War II. Entering military service from Blaine, Ohio, in 1943, he served with Company A, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, a formation that fought through some of the most demanding campaigns in Italy and France. His courage had already earned recognition before his final battle. For gallantry in action against German forces in France on 29 November 1944, Deleau received the Silver Star, recorded under Headquarters, 36th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 25 (1945).

But it was during the night of 1 February 1945 that his determination would become legendary. As American troops assaulted the heavily defended village of Oberhoffen, Deleau led his squad into brutal house-to-house combat. After clearing one building, he advanced directly toward an enemy machine-gun position, firing his submachine gun while exposing himself to German fire. Reaching grenade range, he destroyed the weapon and killed three enemy soldiers. When another fortified house blocked his advance, he stormed inside and captured ten Germans.

At dawn on 2 February, the fighting intensified. Refusing to surrender the initiative, Deleau pushed forward, eliminating two German snipers before racing across exposed ground to attack another machine-gun emplacement. He destroyed the weapon and killed its two operators with a grenade. Yet another machine gun remained. Determined to silence it, he moved from cover to obtain a clear throwing position. At that moment, German gunfire struck and killed him.

In his final hours, Deleau helped clear four strongly defended houses, inflicted significant enemy losses, and enabled his battalion to advance with fewer casualties. For these extraordinary actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor under War Department General Orders No. 60, dated 25 July 1945. His death in combat also established his entitlement to the Purple Heart, while his European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal reflected his wartime service.

Only 21 years old when he was killed, Sergeant Emile Deleau Jr. was laid to rest at Linwood Cemetery in Blaine, Ohio. His story is more than an account of battlefield bravery. It is the story of a young infantry leader who repeatedly placed himself in danger so that others could move forward. His Medal of Honor citation preserves the courage of his final stand, and his sacrifice remains an enduring example of leadership, duty, and extraordinary valor.