Given the fact I am also a Dirk J(my J as in Johannes, the Dutch equivalent of John) I could not resist doing a piece on this man.

Dirk John Vlug  (August 20, 1916 – June 25, 1996) 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.

Dirk Vlug joined the Army from Grand Rapids, Michigan in April 1941 and served as a private first class in the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division.On December 15, 1944 near Limon in the Philippine province of Leyte, he single-handedly destroyed a group of five heavily armed Japanese tanks.

For his actions, Vlug was issued the Medal of Honor a year and a half later, on June 26, 1946.

He subsequently left the army and joined the Michigan National Guard in May 1949, and retired with the…