US Army 1SG Leonard Funk: WWII Medal of Honor Recipient

Welcome back everyone.  On today’s episode of Duty & Valor, you’ll hear the story of a man who faced some of the bloodiest battles of WWII. A man whose exceptional leadership transformed a group of non-combatants into a force capable of launching a daring assault on a heavily defended German position. A man who single-handedly thwarted a planned attack on the rear of US forces. This is the story of Medal of Honor recipient, US Army 1SG Leonard Funk Jr.

Leonard Funk Jr. was born on August 27, 1916 in Braddock Township, PA to parents Margaret and Leonard Sr.  He faced adversity at an early age when his mother passed away.  He grew up near Pittsburgh and graduated high school in 1934.  For years he worked as a clerk before finally entering military service in the US Army in June 1941, at the age of 24, just six months before the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces.   

The following year he volunteered for the newly formed Army paratroopers.  After completing airborne training, he was awarded his jump wings and was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment.  

The 508th was sent to England for additional training as it prepared for the imminent invasion of France. 

It was around that time that his unit was merged with the 82nd Airborne Division, and he  would serve the remainder of the war with them.  On D-Day, June 6th, 1944, 1SG Funk and a small unit under his command, landed about 40 miles from the coast, deep behind enemy lines.  Over the next few days, they fought hard and eventually broke through German lines and linked up with other paratroopers closer to the coast.  Remarkably, his unit didn’t suffer any losses, and 1SG Funk was awarded the Silver Star for his actions over his first few days of combat.

A few months later, the 508th took part in Operation Market Garden.  Operation Market Garden aimed at dislodging German forces in the Netherlands and creating a 64 mile stretch of land that Allied forces could use to attack German forces on their home land.  

1SG Funk and his men jumped into Holland on Sept. 17.  Though this operation would go on to fail, 1SG Funk was credited with saving countless Allied lives.  He led a three man team against a German anti-aircraft gun battery.    The three men killed 20 Germans, and wounded many more, thus silencing the guns.  For his initiative, outstanding bravery, and strong leadership, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. 

Through the remainder of the fall and into the winter, the 508th continued fighting further east towards Germany.  They were in Belgium on Dec. 16 when the Germans launched their last major offensive on the western front.  The Ardennes Offensive saw the German Army sweep through the Ardennes Forest, surprising US forces who were unaware of the incoming assault.     

The Germans' early success resulted in a salient, a bulge in the front lines extending into enemy territory. Known for this characteristic bulge, the battle was named the Battle of the Bulge and became the bloodiest for U.S. forces in the war.

By the end of December, the German advance was stopped, but they were well dug in.  1SG Funk and his men were fighting the Germans for some weeks, trying to dislodge them from local villages, and all buildings in between.  

1SG Funk was with his company on its 15 mile march through waist deep snow to attack the German held town of Holzheim in Belgium.  Shortly before their assault was to begin, the company’s executive officer went down, forcing 1SG Funk to take command of the assault.  

As he considered the German defenses, he realized that he didn’t have the infantry support to commence the attack.  He formed a platoon of 15 clerks from the 82nd Airborne, who were all non-combatants.  1SG Funk personally led this makeshift platoon on the assault.  Under heavy machine gun and artillery fire, they cleared 15 houses and captured 30 Germans soldiers, all without suffering a single casualty.

As they were capturing the 30 prisoners, another unit captured another 50 Germans.  The assault was short of men, so the decision was made to leave four men behind to guard the 80 prisoners.  

1SG Funk continued the assault with the rest of the men and returned to the town to ensure it was clear of enemy combatants.   After a few hours, Holzheim was under Allied control. 

During this time, a passing German patrol aided the 80 prisoners in overwhelming the four guards.  The Germans were gathering as many weapons as they could and were about to launch an attack on the rear of Charlie Company when 1SG Funk returned.

Unaware of what was transpiring, he rounded the corner of a building into the yard where the prisoners were being held.  As he did so, he realized what had happened.  Armed with only a sub-machine gun slung over his shoulder, the Germans thought he was no threat.  But they were wrong.

As a German officer aimed his pistol at 1SG Funk’s stomach and yelled at him in German to surrender, he slowly began to unsling his gun.  His movements were slow, but deliberate.  As he was about to lower his gun to the ground, 1SG Funk pulled his trigger and gunned down the officer and a few men around him.  He then began yelling at the other men to arm themselves.  The four guards quickly seized German weapons and joined in the fighting.  In a matter of moments, they were able to kill 21 Germans, wound another 24, and take the remaining men as prisoners.  His heroic actions, again saved the lives of countless Americans by eliminating the planned German attack.  

1SG Funk served the remainder of the war before being honorably discharged in June 1945.

A few months later, on Sept. 5, 1SG Leonard Funk Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman for his actions at Holzheim.  In addition to the Medal of Honor, some of the other awards he received during WWII were the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart on three occasions, making him one of, if not, the most decorated paratrooper of the war. 

After the war, he took a job with the Veterans Administration and retired in 1972 as the Division Chief of the Pittsburgh Regional Office.   

On November 20, 1992, 1SG Leonard Funk Jr. died at the age of 76 and he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

1SG Leonard Funk Jr. epitomizes courage, resiliency, and unwavering dedication to duty. Not only did he escape being captured, but with sheer audacity, he single-handedly turned the tide of battle. Funk's legacy stands as a reminder that true greatness can only be forged in times of adversity.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Duty & Valor.  To read more about this week’s hero, check out the sources used in today's episode in our show notes and at dutyandvalor.com.  

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