High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! William J. Grabiarz (March 25, 1925 - February 23, 1945) 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. Grabiarz joined the Army from his birth city of Buffalo, New York, and by February 23, 1945 was serving as a private first class in Troop E, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On that day, in Manila, the Philippines, he voluntarily braved enemy fire in order to rescue a wounded officer who lay in an exposed position. After being wounded himself and trying unsuccessfully to drag the officer to safety, he used his body to shield the man from hostile fire. Grabiarz was killed by the intense fire, but the officer survived. For these actions, Grabiarz was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor ten months later, on December 8, 1945.