Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Unit:

Company I, 3rd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division "Red Bull", U.S. Army

Awarded on:

August 22nd, 1944

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 34th Infantry Division, on 27 June 1944, in the vicinity of Sassetta, Italy. When the combat patrol of which he was a member was halted by machine gun fire from an emplacement in a concrete building supported by other enemy emplacements in its background, Sergeant Ganeko advanced alone to destroy the machine gun nest from a closer position. Although aware of the fact that the gun was supported by another machine gun, four machine pistols and about six snipers on its flank less than 100 yards away, he proceeded to crawl over open ground towards the gun. Within 15 yards of the building he pulled the pin from a hand grenade and prepared to throw when a sniper's bullet mortally wounded him. Unable to throw the grenade, but aware of the fact that the grenade endangered the men around him, he called out, "Hey! Somebody get the grenade from me, I'm shot!" Although dying from the wound he managed to hold down the handle until a comrade reached him and relieved him of the grenade. The outstanding courage and disregard for personal safety of Sergeant Ganeko is worthy of the highest praise and a credit to the Armed Forces of the United States.

General Orders No. 82

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Unit:

Company I, 3rd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division "Red Bull", U.S. Army