Clarence S. Olszewski Medal of Honor for Hill 199 at Okinawa

Dec 20 , 2025

Clarence S. Olszewski Medal of Honor for Hill 199 at Okinawa

The air smelled of burnt metal and blood. A hailstorm of bullets tore through the mud and smoke. Clarence S. Olszewski pressed forward, alone against a sea of enemy fire. His voice cut through the chaos—sharp orders, steady resolve. This was no reckless charge. It was a mission soaked in sacrifice, forged in fury.

The Man Before the War

Clarence S. Olszewski came from the steel heartland of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Raised in the shadow of smokestacks and hard-working families, he grew up with sweat and faith as his bedrock.

His parents, devout Catholics, instilled a fierce moral compass: "Duty before self." Clarence carried that creed in his dog tags. It wasn’t just about fighting the war—it was about fighting for something greater.

“I believed God was watching, and that belief pulled me out of many a dark hole.”

No glory hog. No loud mouth. Just a soldier with a soul hardened by faith and honed by hard work.

The Battle That Defined Him

March 24, 1945.

The 43rd Infantry Division was trapped on the Japanese-held island of Okinawa. High ground and key supply routes controlled the flow of the fight—and the cost was counting in lives.

Clarence was then a Staff Sergeant in Company G, 172nd Infantry Regiment. The men were pinned down at the base of a ridge, strafed with machine gun fire and grenade volleys. The mission: Take Hill 199—an enemy stronghold guarding the southern flank of their position.

The Japanese held every inch with deadly precision. Sgt. Olszewski could have waited for reinforcements. He chose not to.

Under relentless fire, he rallied his squad. With a grim nod and a whispered prayer, he led a solo assault. He moved from foxhole to foxhole, throwing grenades, silencing nests with ruthless efficiency.

Enemy bullets clipped his helmet, shredded his clothes. Around him, comrades fell.

"I wasn’t alone. God was there… and so were my brothers."

Hours later, the hill was in American hands.

Recognition Etched in Valor

For his fearless leadership and relentless drive, Clarence S. Olszewski was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation speaks of “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

“His actions were a turning point on Okinawa. Without him, we would've bled longer,” said General Joseph Stillwell in his post-war report.

The medal—silver star-shaped, blazing truth—rested heavy on his chest. Yet, Olszewski wore it quietly, as a reminder of the cost.

His platoon remembered a man who charged first, never asked for praise, and carried every loss like a wound nobody else could see.

Legacy of Sacrifice and Redemption

Clarence S. Olszewski’s story is not just a tale of courage. It’s a legacy carved in blood and grit, a lesson about the price of freedom and the weight of faith in battle.

“No soldier fights alone,” he said once. “We all carry each other—through hell, through hope.”

His scars—visible and hidden—tell a story of pain and perseverance. But they also tell a story of redemption. Redemption found in grit, grace, and the unbreakable bond of those who answered the call.

The battlefield’s noise never left him. But the scripture he leaned on did:

“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

Today, when you see a veteran standing tall, remember Staff Sgt. Olszewski. Know that the ground beneath our freedoms was soaked with men who dared to walk through fire, led by faith as much as fury.

His life demands remembrance—not as a distant hero, but as a living testament. That true courage is forged in service, tempered by sacrifice, and redeemed by something older and greater than war itself.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: World War II - Clarence S. Olszewski” 2. Okinawa Campaign Archives, 43rd Infantry Division Operational Reports (1945) 3. Joseph Stilwell, Report on Okinawa Operations, U.S. Military History Division 4. Catholic Herald Archives, Veterans Reflections on Faith and War (Post-WWII interviews)