John F. Thorson

He gave his life shielding his comrades from a hand grenade.

John F. Thorson was born on May 10, 1920, in Armstrong, Iowa. He worked on his family’s farm before enlisting in the Army in April 1942. His service took him to Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians, Hawaii, the Marshall Islands and the Philippines. During World War II, he served as an automatic rifleman in Company G, 17th Infantry, 7th Infantry Division.

His Medal of Honor citation dates his action at Dagami, Leyte, to October 28, 1944. With fortified positions blocking his company, his platoon moved to outflank them. Thorson went ahead alone and attacked an enemy trench. Severely wounded, he fell close to it. As the rest of the platoon reached him, an enemy grenade landed among them. He shouted a warning and rolled onto it, protecting his comrades at the cost of his life.

Brigadier General Paul X. English presented his posthumous Medal of Honor to his father at Fort Omaha on September 16, 1945. Thorson was buried at Keokuk National Cemetery in Iowa. An Army transport, later operated by the Navy, was named Private John F. Thorson in his honor. His award remembers his forward initiative and final act to protect the soldiers following him.

Official Medal of Honor citation: He was an automatic rifleman on 28 October 1944, in the attack on Dagami, Leyte, Philippine Islands. A heavily fortified enemy position consisting of pillboxes and supporting trenches held up the advance of his company. His platoon was ordered to outflank and neutralize the strongpoint. Voluntarily moving well out in front of his group, Pvt. Thorson came upon an enemy fire trench defended by several hostile riflemen and, disregarding the intense fire directed at him, attacked singlehandedly. He was seriously wounded and fell about six yards from the trench. Just as the remaining 20 members of the platoon reached him, one of the enemy threw a grenade into their midst. Shouting a warning and making a final effort, Pvt. Thorson rolled onto the grenade and smothered the explosion with his body. He was instantly killed, but his magnificent courage and supreme self-sacrifice prevented the injury and possible death of his comrades and remain with them as a lasting inspiration.

Citation source: Congressional Medal of Honor Society.