Obituary: Medal of Honor Recipient Donald E. Rudolph Sr.

[Vulture6]

Medal of Honor Recipient Donald E. Rudolph Sr.

From News Services
Monday, May 29, 2006



Donald E. Rudolph Sr., 85, an Army technical sergeant during World War II whose one-man charge against eight Japanese pillboxes in the Philippines earned him the Medal of Honor, died May 25 at Evergreen Terrace nursing home in Grand Rapids, Minn. He had Alzheimer's disease.

At Luzon, on Feb. 5, 1945, Sgt. Rudolph crossed a battlefield alone, protecting himself with grenades when the company that was supposed to be supporting his unit was pinned down.

He destroyed two Japanese pillboxes before attacking and neutralizing six others. Then, when his unit came under fire from a tank, he climbed onto the tank and dropped a white phosphorous grenade through the turret, killing the crew.

His Medal of Honor citation read that he "cleared a path for an advance which culminated in one of the most decisive victories of the Philippine campaign."

President Harry S. Truman presented him with the medal at a White House ceremony Aug. 23, 1945.

After retiring from the Army in 1963 at the rank of master sergeant, he worked for the Veterans Administration as a benefits counselor until retiring in 1976 and moving with his wife to Shamrock Lake north of Bovey, Minn.

Donald Eugene Rudolph Sr. was born in South Haven Township, Minn., and raised in Minneapolis, where his father had a grocery store and ran a painting and wallpapering business. He joined the Army in February 1941.

A daughter, Shirley Burgi, died in 1986.

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Helen Furberg Rudolph of Bovey; a son, Donald E. Rudolph Jr. of Arlington; two sisters; and three grandchildren.

[ClutterbusterNY]

Rest in Peace Hero.

[SSGMike.Ivy]

Rest in Peace once again another Hero goes to his final resting place.

[333MP]

Rest in Peace

[USMC Chuter]

Our hallowed few are even fewer today. Rest in peace.

[USMCRET6391]

Rest in peace, they are waiting to greet you in the hall of heroes.