PFC. Kiyoshi K.

Muranaga

(US Army)

 

On this day, 81 years ago, on June 26, 1944,

Private First Class

Kiyoshi K. Muranaga,

age 22, was serving with

Company F, 2nd Battalion,

442nd Regimental

Combat Team,

34th Infantry Division

near Suvereto, Italy.

This was the first day

of frontline combat for

the 442nd Regimental

Combat Team,

which was composed

almost entirely of

Japanese American

soldiers.

That morning, as the

unit advanced toward

Suvereto, they

encountered fierce

resistance from

entrenched German

positions outside

the town.

 

At approximately 09 : 00

hours, Muranaga’s

company came under

direct fire from an

88mm self-propelled

German gun hidden

in a fortified position

approximately 400 yards

away.

The enemy gun opened

fire on the unit’s position,

causing heavy damage

and several casualties.

Under intense fire, the

men of the company

were forced to

spread out and take

cover along the ridge.

Muranaga was part of

a three-man mortar

squad assigned to

return fire.

Due to the terrain and

the accuracy of the

incoming rounds,

the rest of his squad

was ordered to pull back

and take cover.

 

Muranaga remained at

the exposed position to

operate the mortar alone.

He knew the enemy gun

had a clear line of sight

to his position.

He adjusted the baseplate, sighted the target, and

began firing.

The first round fell short.

The second round

landed closer.

The third round

detonated near

the German gun,

impacting just in front

of its shield.

The enemy crew then

shifted fire toward

Muranaga’s location.

Before he could fire a

fourth round,

the 88mm gun fired a

shell that scored a direct

hit on his position.

Muranaga was killed

instantly.

The accuracy of his

third round forced

the German crew to

abandon the position

and retreat before they

could continue firing.

 

Muranaga’s action

stopped the enemy’s

main defensive fire

on that sector and

allowed Company F

to resume its advance

toward Suvereto.

His decision to remain

alone under direct

enemy fire prevented

further casualties and

enabled the unit to

maintain momentum

in the attack.

He was killed on

the first day of action

for the 442nd in Italy.

He was originally buried

in an American cemetery

in Italy and later

reinterred

at Evergreen Cemetery

in Los Angeles,

California.

His *Medal of Honor*

 was presented

posthumously

on June 21, 2000.

 

일병. 키요시 K. 

무라나가
(미 육군)

81년 전 오늘, 

1944년 6월 26일, 22세의 

일등병 키요시 K. 무라나가는

 이탈리아 수베레토 인근 

제34보병사단 

제442연대전투단 

제2대대 F중대에서 

복무하고 있었습니다. 

이날은 거의 전원이 일본계 

미국인으로 구성된 

제442연대전투단의 

첫 최전선 전투 

날이었습니다. 

그날 아침, 부대가 

수베레토를 향해 

진격하던 중, 

마을 외곽의 참호를 파고든 

독일군의 격렬한 저항에 

부딪혔습니다.

오전 9시경, 무라나가의 

중대는 약 400야드

(약 380m) 떨어진 요새에 

숨겨진 독일군 88mm

 자주포의 직격포를 

받았습니다. 

적군의 포가 부대 진지를

 향해 사격을 개시하여 

심각한 피해를 입히고

 여러 명의 사상자를 

냈습니다. 

격렬한 포격 속에서

 중대원들은 산등성이를 

따라 흩어져 엄폐해야 

했습니다.

 무라나가는 응사 임무를 

맡은 3인 박격포 분대의 

일원이었습니다. 

지형과 날아오는 포탄의 

정확도 때문에 나머지 

분대원들은 후퇴하여 

엄폐하라는 명령을 

받았습니다.

무라나가는 노출된 위치에

 남아 단독으로 박격포를

 운용했습니다. 

그는 적의 포가 자신의 

위치를 ​​명확하게 조준하고

 있다는 것을 알고 

있었습니다. 

그는 베이스플레이트를 

조정하고 표적을 조준한 후 

사격을 시작했습니다.

 첫 번째 포탄은 

빗나갔습니다. 

두 번째 포탄은 더 가까이 

떨어졌습니다.

 세 번째 포탄은 독일군

포 근처에서 폭발하여

방패 바로 앞에 명중했습니다.

그러자 적군은 무라나가

쪽으로 사격 방향을

돌렸습니다.

그가 네 번째 포탄을

발사하기도 전에 88mm

포가 그의 위치에 직격탄을

발사했습니다.

무라나가는 즉사했습니다.

세 번째 포탄의 정확도에

독일군 포병대는 사격을

계속하기 전에 진지를

버리고 후퇴할 수밖에

없었습니다.

무라나가의 활약으로 해당 

구역에 대한 적의 주 방어 

사격이 중단되었고, 

F 중대는 수베레토로 

진격을 재개할 수 

있었습니다.

 적의 직접 사격을 받으며

 단독으로 작전을 

수행하기로 한 그의 결정은

 추가 사상자를 막고 부대가 

공격의 기세를 유지할 수 

있도록 했습니다. 

그는 이탈리아에서

 442연대 작전 개시 

첫날 전사했습니다.

 그는 원래 이탈리아에 있는

 미군 묘지에 안장되었다가 

이후 캘리포니아주 

로스앤젤레스의 에버그린

 묘지에 이장되었습니다.

 그의 *명예훈장*은 

2000년 6월 21일 

사후에 수여되었습니다.