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Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Ponte Rotto, Italy, 23 May 1944. Entered service at:
Riverside, N.J. Birth: Dilltown, Pa. G.O. No.: 80, 5 October 1944. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond
the call of duty, on 23 May 1944, near Ponte Rotto, Italy. Pfc. Dutko left
the cover of an abandoned enemy trench at the height of an artillery concentration
in a single-handed attack upon 3 machineguns and an 88mm. mobile gun. Despite
the intense fire of these 4 weapons which were aimed directly at him, Pfc.
Dutko ran 10.0 yards through the impact area, paused momentarily in a shell
crater, and then continued his l-man assault. Although machinegun bullets
kicked up the dirt at his heels, and 88mm. shells exploded within 30 yards
of him, Pfc. Dutko nevertheless made his way to a point within 30 yards
of the first enemy machinegun and killed both gunners with a hand grenade.
Although the second machinegun wounded him, knocking him to the ground,
Pfc. Dutko regained his feet and advanced on the 88mm. gun, firing his
Browning automatic rifle from the hip. When he came within 10 yards of
this weapon he killed its 5-man crew with 1 long burst of fire. Wheeling
on the machinegun which had wounded him, Pfc. Dutko killed the gunner and
his assistant. The third German machinegun fired on Pfc. Dutko from a position
20 yards distant wounding him a second time as he proceeded toward the
enemy weapon in a half run. He killed both members of its crew with a single
burst from his Browning automatic rifle, continued toward the gun and died,
his body falling across the dead German crew.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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