The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Private First Class John W. Dutko, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, on 23 May 1944, while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, in action near Ponte Rotto, Italy. Private First Class Dutko left the cover of an abandoned enemy trench at the height of an artillery concentration in a single-handed attack upon three machineguns and an 88-mm. mobile gun. Despite the intense fire of these four weapons which were aimed directly at him, Private First Class Dutko ran 100 yards through the impact area, paused momentarily in a shell crater, and then continued his one-man assault. Although machinegun bullets kicked up the dirt at his heels, and 88-mm. shells exploded within 30 yards of him, Private First Class Dutko nevertheless made his way to a point within 30 yards of the first enemy machinegun and killed both gunners with a hand grenade. Although the second machinegun wounded him, knocking him to the ground, Private First Class Dutko regained his feet and advanced on the 88-mm. gun, firing his Browning automatic rifle from the hip. When he came within ten yards of this weapon he killed its five-man crew with one long burst of fire. Wheeling on the machinegun which had wounded him, Private First Class Dutko killed the gunner and his assistant. The third German machinegun fired on Private First Class Dutko from a position 20 yards distant wounding him a second time as he proceeded toward the enemy weapon in a half run. He killed both members of its crew with a single burst from his Browning automatic rifle, continued toward the gun and died, his body falling across the dead German crew.