Michael Valente

He silenced enemy guns to break through the Hindenburg Line.

Michael Valente was born on 5 February 1895 in Cassino, Italy. After immigrating to the United States, he joined the Army from Ogdensburg, New York, in 1917. He served as a private with Company D, 107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division during the First World War.

On 29 September 1918 east of Ronssoy, France, Valente and another soldier volunteered to attack machine-gun positions blocking the advance. They silenced two guns, then entered an enemy trench and captured further defenders. Valente was later wounded and sent to the rear.

President Herbert Hoover presented Valente with the Medal of Honor on the White House lawn on 27 September 1929. Valente died on 10 January 1976 in Long Beach, New York, and is buried in Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy during the operations against the Hindenburg line, east of Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918. Finding the advance of his organization held up by a withering enemy machine-gun fire, Pvt. Valente volunteered to go forward. With utter disregard of his own personal danger, accompanied by another soldier, Pvt. Valente rushed forward through an intense machine-gun fire directly upon the enemy nest, killing two and capturing five of the enemy and silencing the gun. Discovering another machine-gun nest close by which was pouring a deadly fire on the American forces, preventing their advance, Pvt. Valente and his companion charged upon this strong point, killing the gunner and putting this machine gun out of action. Without hesitation they jumped into the enemy's trench, killed two and captured 16 German soldiers. Pvt. Valente was later wounded and sent to the rear.