Joe Gandara

He advanced unaided to silence three enemy machine-gun posts

Joe Gandara was born on April 25, 1924, in Santa Monica, California. He served as a private in Company D, 2d Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, during World War II.

On June 9, 1944, at Amfreville, France, heavy German fire pinned down his detachment for four hours. Gandara advanced alone toward the enemy positions, firing his machine gun from the hip. He destroyed three hostile machine guns before being fatally wounded. His attack confronted the weapons holding his fellow soldiers to the ground.

President Barack Obama presented his posthumous Medal of Honor to his niece at the White House on March 18, 2014. Gandara was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica. His award preserves recognition of a young paratrooper's solitary advance under fire during the fighting in Normandy.

Official Medal of Honor citation: Private Joe Gandara distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division during combat operations against an armed enemy in Amfreville, France on June 9, 1944. On that day, Private Gandara’s detachment came under devastating enemy fire from a strong German force, pinning the men to the ground for a period of four hours. Private Gandara voluntarily advanced alone toward the enemy position. Firing his machinegun from his hip as he moved forward, he destroyed three hostile machineguns before he was fatally wounded. Private Gandara’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.