28 April

PVT NICHOLAS MINUE,
Co. A, 6th Armored Infantry, 1st AD
MedjezelBab, Tunisia
28 April 1943

When the Co. A was held up and pinned down by flanking fire from an enemy machine-gun nest, Pvt. Minue, fixed bayonet, and unhesitatingly charged the enemy position before they could unleash the full fury of their firepower.

The young Polish Immigrant braved enemy machine-gun and rifle fire, killing approximately ten enemy soldiers in hand to hand combat.

After completely destroying the enemy position, Pvt. Minue continued forward, forcing the enemy to retreat.

PVT Minue had been Seargent MInue just a few weeks before, but his loss of rank was not due to any disciplinary infraction but by choice.

In 1942 Minue had already spent sixteen years of service and attained the rank of sergeant.  At 37 years old, he was considered too senior to serve in combat, and every request for transfer to a combat unit was denied. When his adopted homeland, entered into the fighting against the NAZI reime that invaded his homeland, no orders could keep Nicholas Minue from answering the call.

He voluntarily gave up his rank, reverted to the status and pay of a mere Private, and went to combat with the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment of the 1st Armored Division.

On April 28, 1943, American forces engaged the enemy’s right flank on the Mediterranean coastline of Tunisia. Company A came under machine-gun fire, temporarily stopping them in their tracks. After several attempts to silence the gun position, Pvt Minue volunteered to take it out.

Nicholas Minue fixed his bayonet to the muzzle of his M1 then charged forward alone, destroying each enemy gun position, one after the other. He was finally felled by an enemy round, but not until his company was able to move forward and secure the objective.

For his single-handed display of unquenchable courage that inspired his entire unit onward to victory, he was posthumously decorated with the Medal of Honor.