TFH 12/1: PFC Lewis Albanese, USA

Forty-five years ago today, a 20-year old American infantryman fixed his bayonet, charged into a network of enemy defensive positions, eliminated the opposition and enabled his platoon to continue the advance against a superior force. When he ran out of ammunition, he continued to engage the enemy hand-to-hand until he succumbed to his wounds. This is the story of Lewis Albanese.

From Medal of Honor Citations for the Vietnam War:


*ALBANESE, LEWIS


Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 5th Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 1 December 1966. Entered service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 27 April 1946, Venice, Italy. G.O. No.: 12, 3 April 1968. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Private First Class Albanese's platoon, while advancing through densely covered terrain to establish a blocking position, received intense automatic weapons fire from close range. As other members maneuvered to assault the enemy position, Private First Class Albanese was ordered to provide security for the left flank of the platoon. Suddenly, the left flank received fire from enemy located in a well-concealed ditch. Realizing the imminent danger to his comrades from this fire, Private First Class Albanese fixed his bayonet and moved aggressively into the ditch. His action silenced the sniper fire, enabling the platoon to resume movement toward the main enemy position. As the platoon continued to advance, the sound of heavy firing emanated from the left flank from a pitched battle that ensued in the ditch which Private First Class Albanese had entered. The ditch was actually a well-organized complex of enemy defenses designed to bring devastating flanking fire on the forces attacking the main position. Private First Class Albanese, disregarding the danger to himself, advanced 100 meters along the trench and killed 6 of the snipers, who were armed with automatic weapons. Having exhausted his ammunition, Private First Class Albanese was mortally wounded when he engaged and killed 2 more enemy soldiers in fierce hand-to-hand combat. His unparalleled actions saved the lives of many members of his platoon who otherwise would have fallen to the sniper fire from the ditch, and enabled his platoon to successfully advance against an enemy force of overwhelming numerical superiority. Private First Class Albanese's extraordinary heroism and supreme dedication to his comrades were commensurate with the finest traditions of the military service and remain a tribute to himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

PFC Albanese's unit, 5th Battalion/7th Cavalry is today the 5th Squadron/7th Cavalry, reconnaissance element of the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. 5/7 Cav's Vietnam Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, continues serving our nation with its four heavy brigade combat teams and other units in Fort Hood, TX.