When an enemy tank came into view, Valdez single-handedly forced it to withdraw by shooting it with his automatic rifle. When three German soldiers advanced toward the patrol soon after and opened fire, Valdez returned fire, killing all three. Valdez would hold off about 200 enemy soldiers for a total of 15 minutes until they withdrew. Valdez was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his bravery the following year. Nearly 80 years later, Utahns gathered at the state Capitol Friday to honor Valdez, who is considered the first Hispanic Utah resident to earn the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military award for valor.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 15, 2023 21:11 UTC