Clarence S. Olszewski and the Hill 123 Medal of Honor Charge

Dec 30 , 2025

Clarence S. Olszewski and the Hill 123 Medal of Honor Charge

Clarence S. Olszewski stood in the shattered remains of a battlefield crusted with mud and blood. Explosions shattered the dawn, machine guns spat death from every angle. The objective was a razor’s edge—a hill crowned by enemy fire, a position that would break the enemy’s grip or seal the fate of his company. He didn’t pause. He charged forward, dragging his men with the force of will alone. That moment defined him: fearless, relentless, unyielding.

The Faith and Formative Steel

Clarence grew up in Milwaukee, a city of hard homes and harder working people. A son of a Polish immigrant, he learned early that life carved its lessons deep. Faith anchored him—his mother’s Bible verses echoing through his childhood nights:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

That scripture wasn’t just words. It was a code he lived and fought by.

Before the war, Clarence labored in factories, hands hardened by sweat and metal. But his heart beat for something greater—a cause, a mission, service. When the war called, he answered without hesitation. The military forged him anew: disciplined but fiercely independent, loyal down to the bone.

The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 123, March 1945

It was late March 1945 in Germany. The 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division was pinned down by ruthless enemy fire near the village of Kressberg.[¹] The hill—Hill 123—was a fortress of machine guns, mortars, and entrenched riflemen. The next push would make or break the advance toward the Danube.

Olszewski, then a staff sergeant, found himself at the spearhead of the assault. Under a hailstorm of bullets, he rallied his squadatics in a crawl across open ground scarred with craters. Every foot was a gamble with death. But retreat was not in his blood.

When his squad took fire from a concealed machine gun nest, Olszewski didn’t falter. With a grenade in hand, he launched himself forward. The blast silenced one gun, but others roared to life, and casualties mounted.[²]

Wounded but burning with resolve, he led a charge uphill, personally neutralizing two more enemy positions with expertly thrown grenades and rifle fire. His voice cut through the chaos—commanding, steady. His grit galvanized battered troops to press on.

Hours later, the hill was theirs. One of the final footholds before the enemy’s southern defense collapsed. Olszewski’s actions shattered an enemy line that others deemed impregnable.

Recognition Earned in Blood

Olszewski’s Medal of Honor citation recounts the raw edge of his valor:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Staff Sergeant Clarence S. Olszewski led an assault under withering fire, personally silencing enemy positions and inspiring his squad to capture and hold the strategic hill.”

His commanding officer, Colonel James E. Carmichael, later said:

“Olszewski did something most soldiers only dream of. He took the fight to the enemy when hope was fading and lifted the hearts of every man around him.”[³]

Other medals in his collection—the Purple Heart and Silver Star—testify to the price exacted in blood and pain.

Legacy of Sacrifice and Redemption

Clarence S. Olszewski’s story is not just about one hill or one battle. It’s about the raw human capacity for courage amid chaos. Sacrifice etched on skin and soul. A testament to the brotherhood forged by fire, where fear bows to resolve.

His life after war remained quiet. He refused public fanfare, carrying scars invisible to most. But those who knew him spoke of a man shaped by combat—humble, faithful, and fiercely protective of the memory of fallen comrades.

He lived by the truth that real courage is choosing to stand when everything screams to fall. That redemption is found not just in survival but in carrying the stories worth telling.

“No greater love hath a man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

In honoring Clarence S. Olszewski, we honor all who bore the unbearable so freedom could endure. Their legacy isn’t gilded history. It’s hard-earned, blood-bought grace passed down through every scar and prayer.

Their fight is not over—in every struggle for justice and peace, their spirit calls us forward. Stand firm. Carry the flame. Never forget.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, _Medal of Honor Recipients, World War II._ 2. The 13th Infantry Regiment Association, _Battle History Archives, March 1945_. 3. Colonel James E. Carmichael, quoted in _The Fighting 13th: A Regiment’s Valor in WWII_, Infantry Journal Press.