- SURNAME
Aponte
- FORENAME
Victor Diaz
- UNIT
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- RANK
Sergeant
- NUMBER
20350094
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
Belgium, 29th December 1944
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 26.08.1918 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
grammar school education
civil occupation Musicians and teachers of music
single without dependents upon enlistment
03.02.1941 entered service Annapolis, Maryland
03.1944 WIA
04.1944 discharged from Hospital
04.09.1945 discharged
resided 111 Main Street, P.O. Box 163, Annapolis, Maryland (draft card)
07.09.1945 draft card Annapolis, Maryland
died 29.07.1989 (Aged 70)
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA. Section 67, Site 629
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Victor D. Aponte (ASN: 20350094), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action against the enemy on 29 December 1944, near ****, Belgium. Sergeant Aponte, commanding a platoon after its leader had been wounded and evacuated, single-handedly charged and knocked out an enemy machine gun nest, killing its occupants with hand grenades. He continued on to kill an enemy automatic rifleman who was in a foxhole firing on the platoon. Through his aggressive action, Sergeant Aponte instilled confidence into his widely dispersed platoon. When the enemy counterattacked, he ordered all men to dig in and fire only on his orders. These he gave from an exposed position from which he could exercise full control. Seventy enemy were killed by his leadership, of which he personally killed sixteen. Through his actions, the counterattack was repelled. The daring actions of Sergeant Aponte were an inspiration to all under his command and in keeping with the highest traditions of the Airborne Forces of the United States Army.
WEB LINKS:
• https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-90199/FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49001489/victor-d-aponte
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