The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant [then Private First Class] Alejandro Renteria Ruiz (ASN: 38442412), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company "A", 1st Battalion, 165th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division, in action on 28 April 1945, at Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. When his unit was stopped by a skillfully camouflaged enemy pillbox, Sergeant Ruiz's squad, suddenly brought under a hail of machinegun fire and a vicious grenade attack, was pinned down. Jumping to his feet, Sergeant Ruiz seized an automatic rifle and lunged through the flying grenades and rifle and automatic fire for the top of the emplacement. When an enemy soldier charged him, his rifle jammed. Undaunted, Sergeant Ruiz whirled on his assailant and clubbed him down. Then he ran back through bullets and grenades, seized more ammunition and another automatic rifle, and again made for the pillbox. Enemy fire now was concentrated on him, but he charged on, miraculously reaching the position, and in plain view he climbed to the top. Leaping from one opening to another, he sent burst after burst into the pillbox, killing twelve of the enemy and completely destroying the position. Sergeant Ruiz's heroic conduct, in the face of overwhelming odds, saved the lives of many comrades and eliminated an obstacle that long would have checked his unit's advance.