Leonard Carl Brostrom
Private First Class, U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Recipient
World War II

Private First Class Leonard Carl Brostrom (23 November 1919 - 28 October 1944) was a U.S. Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during World War II.

Brostrom was born on 23 November 1919 in Preston, ID. He also entered the Army at Preston. He was a member of, and also served a mission for, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry, 7th Infantry Division.

Place and date: Near Dagami, Leyte, Philippine Islands, 28 October 1944.

Citation: He was a rifleman with an assault platoon which ran into powerful resistance near Dagami, Leyte, Philippine Islands, on 28 October 1944. From pillboxes, trenches, and spider holes so well camouflaged that they could be detected at no more than 20 yards, the enemy poured machinegun and rifle fire, causing severe casualties in the platoon. Realizing that a key pillbox in the center of the strong point would have to be knocked out if the company was to advance, Pfc. Brostrom, without orders and completely ignoring his own safety, ran forward to attack the pillbox with grenades. He immediately became the prime target for all the riflemen in the area, as he rushed to the rear of the pillbox and tossed grenades through the entrance. Six enemy soldiers left a trench in a bayonet charge against the heroic American, but he killed 1 and drove the others off with rifle fire. As he threw more grenades from his completely exposed position he was wounded several times in the abdomen and knocked to the ground. Although suffering intense pain and rapidly weakening from loss of blood, he slowly rose to his feet and once more hurled his deadly missiles at the pillbox. As he collapsed, the enemy began fleeing from the fortification and was killed by riflemen of his platoon. Pfc. Brostrom died while being carried from the battlefield, but his intrepidity and unhesitating willingness to sacrifice himself in a l-man attack against overwhelming odds enabled his company to reorganize against attack, and annihilate the entire enemy position.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Purple Heart

Honors

A U.S. Army transport ship, USAT Private Leonard C. Brostrom was named in his honor in 1948. The ship was later transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service of the United States Navy as USNS Private Leonard C. Brostrom (T-AK 255).

Death and Burial

Private First Class Leonard Carl Brostrom was killed in action on 28 October 1944. He is buried at Preston Cemetery in Preston, Franklin County, ID, in Block 1, Lot 18.