Floyd K. Lindstrom

Floyd K. Lindstrom (June 21, 1912 – February 3, 1944) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Early life

Born in Holdrege, Nebraska June 21, 1912. Floyd's mother, Ana (Stongberg) Lindstrom 4/27/1885 - 3/14/1970, took him while he was 3 years and his older sister Pauline away from his alcoholic father Otto Rudolph Lindstrom 4/8/1881 - 11/19/1954. Moving to Colorado Springs, CO in about 1915 where Ana took work at The Myron Stratton Home where she was allowed the use of a cottage to raise her two small children. Floyd grew up like most kids during that time. Played basketball, joined the Boy Scouts, doing odd jobs and finding work as a soda jerk. While attending Cheyenne Mountain High School Floyd starred in basketball along in some church leagues. Graduating from Cheyenne Mountain High School in 1931 Floyd and his sister and mother moved from The Myron Stratton Home to East Platte Ave in downtown Colorado Springs, CO. Floyd took a job as a truck driver for a local store driving back and forth to California. H.M. Soomers owner of Soomers Market stated Floyd was always on time and never scratched a fender. Soomers tried to get Floyd to work in the store and Floyd always refused because he wanted to stay outside. Floyd ended up working for Associated Grocers when they took over the trucking business. Floyd spent 11 years driving and all the while looking for love and dreaming of owning a ranch. Getting engaged Floyd's life was on track the way he dreamed.^[1]

World War II

Then Pearl Harbor was bombed. Floyd's fiancée, Mary Jane Wackenhut, died in early 1942. Floyd was very hurt. Floyd would leave flowers on her grave on Easter and Decoration Day and would send money to have his mother Ana do it while he was in the Army. On June 22, 1942 Floyd went into the Army. Floyd was at Camp Roberts, CA 7/17/1942 - 10/15/1942 for his training in Heavy Weapons. Floyd was sent to the 3rd Infantry Div. Floyd was assigned to H company 3 Bn 7th Infantry Regiment. Floyd while in convoy on 7/12/1943 in Sicily his unit came under attack by 4 enemy planes. Convoy stopped with everyone dispersed Floyd saw one truck starting to roll because the driver failed to set the brake. Seeing the truck was rolling towards an unaware soldier with a steep embankment behind the soldier. Floyd left his place of safety "with complete disregard of the planes strafing and bombing overhead, Pvt Lindstrom ran to the truck and guided it into a bank." This action saved men and equipment. Floyd Lindstrom was awarded the Silver Star for actions that day. General Orders No. 56 dated 8/19/1943.^[2]

Floyd moved to Italy with the rest of the 3rd Infantry where his actions on Nov 11, 1943 would cause him to be put up for the Medal of Honor. PFC Floyd K Lindstrom was given the chance to stay in the rear and remain safe during the beach landing at Anzio in Jan, 1944 because he was up for the Medal of Honor. Floyd refused and on the Feb 3, 1944 was killed in action. Floyd was first listed as missing in action and on June 6, 1944 his status was changed to killed in action. First buried at Nettuno, Italy then in July 1948 Floyd was returned to his family in Colorado Springs. Floyd rests next to his mother Ana in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs. Floyd's sister donated his medals and paperwork to the Pioneer Museum in downtown Colorado Springs.^[3] Floyd was awarded the Purple Heart and 2 Italian Military Crosses^[4]

Lindstrom joined the Army from Colorado Springs, Colorado in June 1942,^[5] and by November 11, 1943 was serving as a private first class in the 3rd Infantry Division. On that day, near Mignano, Italy, he single-handedly charged and captured a German machine gun. Lindstrom was killed in action three months later and, on April 20, 1944, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions near Mignano.

Lindstrom, aged 31 at his death, was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Honor comes to hometown hero

Thru the efforts of American Legion Post 5, mainly Keith B LaMee Jr, in Colorado Springs PFC Floyd K Lindstrom is honored in and around Colorado Springs. The flag pole in front of Post 5 is dedicated to honor Lindstrom. There are 2 plaques placed to honor this CMH awardee. The first one at The Shrine of Remembrance in the Veterans Honor Court and the second is in city park in Cripple Creek. on Feb 20, 2015 the VA CBOC was renamed to the PFC FLOYD K. LINDSTROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC. HR 3375 introduced by Congressman Doug Lamborn which passed and signed into Public Law 113-215 Dec 16, 2014. 128 STAT. 2088 PUBLIC LAW 113–215—DEC. 16, 2014 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3375: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 160 (2014): June 17, considered and passed House. Dec. 3, considered and passed Senate. The Law to rename the VA CBOC Public Law 113–215 113th Congress An Act To designate the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be constructed at 3141 Centennial Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the ‘‘PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. PFC FLOYD K. LINDSTROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS CLINIC. (a) DESIGNATION.—The community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be constructed at 3141 Centennial Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado, shall be known and designated as the ‘‘PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’. (b) REFERENCES.—Any reference in a law, regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the building referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be a reference to the ‘‘PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic’’. Approved December 16, 2014. Dec. 16, 2014 [H.R. 3375]^[6]

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Medal of Honor citation

Private First Class Lindstrom's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 11 November 1943, this soldier's platoon was furnishing machinegun support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy, when the enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen and half the machinegun platoon to retire to a defensive position. Pfc. Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and outnumbered 5 to 1, yet he immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and opened fire with his single gun. The enemy centered fire on him with machinegun, machine pistols, and grenades. Unable to knock out the enemy nest from his original position, Pfc. Lindstrom picked up his own heavy machinegun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small arms fire which was striking all around him. From this new site, only 10 yards from the enemy machinegun, he engaged it in an intense duel. Realizing that he could not hit the hostile gunners because they were behind a large rock, he charged uphill under a steady stream of fire, killed both gunners with his pistol and dragged their gun down to his own men, directing them to employ it against the enemy. Disregarding heavy rifle fire, he returned to the enemy machinegun nest for 2 boxes of ammunition, came back and resumed withering fire from his own gun. His spectacular performance completely broke up the German counterattack. Pfc. Lindstrom demonstrated aggressive spirit and complete fearlessness in the face of almost certain death.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

Sources

• "Floyd K. Lindstrom". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2008-01-11. 
• "Medal of Honor recipients - World War II (G–L)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Retrieved 2008-01-11.