Crawford and Bjorkland
To Receive Congressional Medal of Honor
Total of 4 Highest Awards for 36th

An officer and enlisted man of the same company are to receive the nation’s highest award. 2nd Lt. Arnold C. Bjorkland of Seattle Wash., and Pvt. William J. Crawford of Pueblo, Colo., both of Company “I”, bring the total of Congressional Medals awarded the division to four. T/Sgt. Charles E. Kelly and Sgt. James T. Logan, are the other two 36’ers who wear the Medal of Honor.

On a hill 424 near Altavilla, Lt. Bjorkland led his platoon forward to a slope, advancing on the right flank of his company. Pinned down by heavy enemy fire, the Lt. fired his weapon with unerring accuracy until his ammunition was exhausted, then picked up a German rifle, continued to fire until the ammunition was also exhausted. Crawling forward under his own platoon’s fire with only three hand grenades, to a German machine gun nest, he approached within a few yards of the position and completely destroyed the weapon and killing 3 Germans.

Lt. Bjorkland discovered another enemy MG about 20 yards away. Under intense fire he moved within a few yards and hurled a grenade into the position, destroying it and killing two more Germans. His platoon was then able to advance on the crest of the hill. Enemy mortar fire was then concentrated on them. He located the emplacement and although having a platoon at his disposal, moved forward with one hand grenade, and came within 10 yards of the enemy mortar. Hurling the grenade into the position, he destroyed the mortar and killed two of the Germans and forcing the remaining three to flee. These actions permitted the platoon to take successfully its objective.

Pvt. Crawford, now a prisoner of War, was a squad scout of the third platoon of Company I. On September 13th, same day as Lt. Bjorkland’s action, the third platoon attacked enemy positions on Hill 424. Fire from machine guns on the hill had pinned down Crawford’s platoon. While waiting for orders, Crawford crawled forward and silenced one after the other of the machine gun positions, relying almost entirely on the accuracy of his grenade tossing.

Part of the crew in the last machine gun nest escaped the grenade blast and started running. He grabbed the German machine gun and turned it on its former operators with deadly accurate fire. Pvt Crawford was captured by the Germans a few hours later.