Representatives from two major military service organizations in Yakima have filed an application with the City to change the name of A Street to Sergeant Pendleton Boulevard. The Yakima City Council will consider the application during its July 2nd regular business meeting.
Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (“VFW”) Post 379 and American Legion Post 36 jointly submitted the application to have A Street renamed to honor U.S. Army Sergeant Jack James Pendleton. Sgt. Pendleton is Yakima’s lone Medal of Honor recipient. He was posthumously presented the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed on an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States, for his heroic actions during World War II in Germany.
In October 1944 while serving with Company I, 120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division, Sgt. Pendleton took enemy gunfire and was gravely wounded in his leg while leading his squad in an attack on a German machine gun nest. Despite his injuries, Sgt. Pendleton ordered his troops to stay where they were and, using a supply of hand grenades, slowly advanced alone to within ten yards of the enemy position, all the while drawing a hail of machine gun fire to himself and away from his squad and other soldiers.
With the enemy gunners’ attention focused on Sgt. Pendleton, troops from his squad assisted another squad in taking out the German machine gun nest, allowing the entire company to advance and complete its mission during a critical phase of the war.
Sgt. Pendleton was 26 years old when he was killed on the battlefield near Bardenburg, Germany. He is buried at TahomaCemetery in Yakima.
At its July 2nd business meeting, the City Council will conduct an initial evaluation of the application to rename A Street in honor of Sgt. Pendleton. If the City Council decides to move the application forward, a public hearing will be scheduled, likely later this summer, to allow community members an opportunity to weigh in on the potential street name change.
With the exception of a few blocks, A Street runs from 16th Avenue to near the Gateway Shopping Center.
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Application to Rename A Street – News Release
Contact:
VFW Post 379 Commander Fred Camerer – 457-5400
Communications & Public Affairs Director Randy Beehler – 901-1142