Joseph F. Merrell

Who was Joseph F. Merrell?

Joseph Frederick Merrell was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Merrell joined the Army from his birthplace of Staten Island in August 1944, and by April 18, 1945 was serving as a private in Company I, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. On that day, near Lohe, Germany, he single-handedly attacked German positions which were firing on his unit. He disabled two enemy machine gun emplacements and killed nearly two dozen German soldiers before he was himself killed. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on February 26, 1946.

Merrell, aged 18 at his death, was buried in Saint Peters Cemetery, West New Brighton, New York.