Michael Valente

Michael Valente
Born	February 5, 1895(1895-02-05) Cassino, Italy
Died	January 10, 1976(1976-01-10) (aged 80)
Place of burial	Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Private First Class
Unit	107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Medal of Honor

Michael Valente (February 5, 1895 – January 10, 1976) was a United States Army soldier who served in World War I. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in France on September 29, 1918.

Biography

Born on February 5, 1895, in Cassino, Italy, Valente immigrated to the United States and joined the Army in 1916 from Ogdensburg, New York. By September 29, 1918, he was serving in France as a private with Company D of the 107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division. On that day, his unit was participating in an assault on the Hindenburg Line east of Ronssoy when they were held up by intense machine gun fire. With another man, Valente voluntarily moved forward and silenced two machine gun nests, attacked a trench, and killed five Germans and captured 21 others before being wounded. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor a decade later, in 1929.^[1]

Valente is buried at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York.^[2]

Medal of Honor citation

Valente's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy during the operations against the Hindenburg line, east of Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918. Finding the advance of his organization held up by a withering enemy machinegun fire, Pvt. Valente volunteered to go forward. With utter disregard of his own personal danger, accompanied by another soldier, Pvt. Valente rushed forward through an intense machinegun fire directly upon the enemy nest, killing 2 and capturing 5 of the enemy and silencing the gun. Discovering another machinegun nest close by which was pouring a deadly fire on the American forces, preventing their advance, Pvt. Valente and his companion charged upon this strong point, killing the gunner and putting this machinegun out of action. Without hesitation they jumped into the enemy's trench, killed 2 and captured 16 German soldiers. Pvt. Valente was later wounded and sent to the rear.^[1]

See also

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal
	World War I portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War I

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Medal of Honor Recipients - World War I". Medal of Honor Citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/worldwari.html. Retrieved December 2, 2010. 
2. ^ "Cemeteries - Long Island National Cemetery". United States Department of Veterans Affairs. January 12, 2010. http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/longisland.asp#np. Retrieved December 2, 2010. 

External links

• "Michael Valente". Hall of Valor. Military Times. http://www.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2371. 
• Michael Valente at Find a Grave

Persondata
Name	Valente, Michael
Alternative names
Short description	United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
Date of birth	February 5, 1895
Place of birth	Cassino, Italy
Date of death	January 10, 1976
Place of death