Michael Valente

Private, U.S. Army

Medal of Honor Recipient

World War I

Private Michael Valente (5 February 1895 - 10 January 1976) was a U.S. Army soldier who received the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War I.

Michael Valente was born on 5 February 1895, in Cassino, Italy. He immigrated to the U.S. and joined the Army from Ogdensburg, NY. On 29 September 1918, he was serving in France as a Private with Company D of the 107th Infantry Regiment, 27th Division. His unit was participating in an assault that day 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.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company D, 107th Infantry, 27th Division.

Place and date: East of Ronssoy, France, 29 September 1918.

Citation: 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 that 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.

Death and Burial

Private Michael Valente died on 10 January 1976. He is buried at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, NY.