[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2486]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         IN HONOR OF THE LIFE AND BRAVERY OF MICHAEL COLALILLO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Cravaack) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CRAVAACK. About 450 U.S. soldiers, sailors, and pilots received 
the Nation's highest combat award during World War II. One of these was 
a former soldier from West Duluth, who earned the medal during the 
closing days of the war.
  Michael Colalillo was born on December 1, 1925, in Hibbing, 
Minnesota, the son of an Italian immigrant father who worked in the 
iron mines. Michael was one of nine children, and at 18, he was drafted 
into the United States Army.
  On April 7, 1945, a month before the war in Europe ended, Colalillo's 
unit came under heavy fire in a small, rural town in Germany. Pinned on 
the ground, Colalillo and his fellow soldiers were in a death trap. 
Lying on the ground, bullets and shells flying everywhere, Colalillo 
decided something had to be done, and he was the guy who had to do it.
  Even though he was a private and not in command, Colalillo rose up 
and yelled to the other soldiers to follow his lead. Inspired by his 
confidence, the soldiers advanced in the face of savage enemy fire. 
When Colalillo stood up that fateful day, he marched forward into 
America's military history. Mr. Colalillo surged towards the Germans, 
firing his submachine gun until it was knocked from his hands by 
shrapnel. He then ran toward an American tank to take control of the 
machine gun mounted above its cannon turret. Bullets clanged off the 
tank's armor and zipped by his body as Mr. Colalillo responded to the 
onslaught of German enemy fire.
  ``It was a rough time and I was scared,'' Mr. Colalillo said, ``but I 
had to do what I had to do.''
  Mr. Colalillo blasted at one enemy position ``with such devastating 
accuracy,'' the Medal of Honor citation read, that he killed or wounded 
25 German soldiers and silenced a machine gun nest. After this gun 
jammed, Mr. Colalillo dismounted from the tank and grabbed another 
submachine gun to continue his assault on foot. When ordered to 
withdraw, Mr. Colalillo stayed behind and carried a wounded soldier 
over his shoulder through open enemy terrain while artillery and mortar 
rounds pulverized the ground around him.
  A few weeks later, he was approached by two military police officers, 
who escorted him to a nearby headquarters. He was informed that the 
tank's commander had nominated him for the Medal of Honor, which he 
received in December 1945 at a White House ceremony.
  In an interview in 2008 with the 100th Infantry Division Association 
newsletter, Colalillo recalled ``the good Lord was with me'' during 
that battle. ``I could see our guys getting shot . . . I could see the 
muzzle flashes of the Germans shooting at us, and I aimed at them.''
  Mr. Colalillo died on December 30 at a nursing home facility in 
Duluth, Minnesota. He was 86 years old. Mr. Colalillo is survived by 
his son, Al, of Hayward, Wisconsin, and by his daughter, Michele, of 
Meadowlands, Minnesota.
  In Minnesota, we have a track record of military excellence. 
According to the Medal of Honor Society, 46 Minnesotans have received 
our Nation's highest award for bravery. In the Eighth District, we 
honor those who have served, and for Michael Colalillo, the Medal of 
Honor Park in Duluth bears his name. We are forever grateful for his 
service to our great country.
  Thank you, Mr. Colalillo. You make us all proud to be Americans. May 
God's peace be with you.

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