Born in Holdrege, Nebraska, on June 21, 1912,[1] his parents were Anna (née Stongberg) and Otto Rudolph Lindstrom.

[2] Moving to Colorado Springs about 1914, Anna worked and lived in a cottage with her children at the Myron Stratton Home.

[7][13] By November 11, 1943,[c] Lindstrom was serving as a private first class in the 3rd Infantry Division, attempting to climb the treacherous slopes of Mount la Difensa while under heavy gunfire from German soldiers.

[7][15] On that day, near Mignano, Italy, he single-handedly charged and captured a German machine gun, killed a soldier and sent the others in the nest scurrying for safety.

[6][7] On January 22, 1944, he landed at an Anzio beachhead with his unit, although he had been offered duty away from the fighting, and on February 3, he was killed in a German counterattack.

[17] Private First Class Lindstrom's official Medal of Honor citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

On 11 November 1943, this soldier's platoon was furnishing machinegun support for a rifle company attacking a hill near Mignano, Italy, when the enemy counterattacked, forcing the riflemen and half the machinegun platoon to retire to a defensive position.

Lindstrom saw that his small section was alone and outnumbered 5 to 1, yet he immediately deployed the few remaining men into position and opened fire with his single gun.

Lindstrom picked up his own heavy machinegun and staggered 15 yards up the barren, rocky hillside to a new position, completely ignoring enemy small arms fire which was striking all around him.