PBS will air “Landmarks: Minnesota Medal of Honor” a program about Minnesota recipients of the highest United States military honor. Historian and storyteller Doug Ohman will trace the lives of these Medal of Honor winners through photographs, family memories and other stories.

Brown County is home to two Medal of Honor winners: Alonzo Pickle and Willibald Bianchi.

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Sergeant Alonzo Pickle was a Civil War soldier who served in both the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment and then the 1st Infantry Battalion. Pickle was born in Canada in 1843, but moved to Minnesota with his family at age 14. At age 19, he enlisted in the Union Army. He served in several important Civil War battles including Fredricksburg, Gettysburg and Cold Harbor. He was even present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.

Civil War veteran Alonzo Pickle wearing the Congressional Medal of Honor he received for actions taken on Aug. 14, 1864, at the Battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia. Pickle has the rare distinction of receiving the Medal of Honor for saving the life of another Medal of Honor winner. After the war, Pickle began farming outside of Sleepy Eye and would later move into town to work in real estate and insurance. —photo submitted by Brown County Historical Society

His service at Gettysburg was especially noteworthy. Pickle’s 20th birthday occurred during the second day of the battle. He was also one of the few men in his regiment not killed or wounded on that day. First Minnesota was ordered to repel a Confederate advance. There were 282 men in the regiment, but only 47 were still alive or unwounded after defending against the charge. Pickle was one of the lucky 47.

Pickle would receive the Medal of Honor for his action at the Battle of Deep Bottom, over a year after Gettysburg. Coincidentally, he would receive his medal for saving the life of another Medal of Honor winner.

Lt. O’Brien had received the Medal of Honor at Gettysburg for carrying the regiment’s colors. O’Brien was leading a charge at Deep Bottom when he was hit in the chest by a bullet near enemy lines. The Union assault failed and troops began falling back, leaving O’Brien behind. Pickle, a corporal at the time, stopped and returned under intense Confederate rifle fire to carry Lt. O’Brien from the field. Over three decades later in 1895, Pickle was awarded the Medal of Honor.

After the Civil War, Pickle moved to Tracy, Minnesota and later farmed near Sleepy Eye. In 1895, the same year he was awarded the medal, he moved into Sleepy Eye where he worked in real estate and insurance. Following his death on May 26, 1925, Sleepy Eye stores closed during his funeral as a tribute to a Civil War hero and beloved citizen.

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Captain Willibald Bianchi was a New Ulm native. He joined the Army in 1940 and served in the 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts during World War II and participated in the defense of the Philippines after the Japanese Army invaded in 1941.

Bianchi was awarded the Medal of Honor for action taken on Feb. 3, 1942, at Bagac, Province of Bataan, Philippines.

On his initiative, Bianchi advanced on two enemies’ machine-gun nests. He was wounded twice by bullets but continued to advance, personally destroying one nest with grenades. He was shot two more times in the chest before climbing on an American tank to man an antiaircraft machine gun and fired into the enemy position until he was knocked off the tank by a third wound.

Bianchi survived and would recover from his injuries. He was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but a few months later he was captured by the Japanese. He and other prisoners of war were marched to a camp. Many did not survive the forced march. The incident became known as the Bataan Death March.

Bianchi survived the march and would remain a prisoner of war. Accounts of his time in prison camps state Bianchi showed great compassion for his fellow POWs and worked to make sure food and medicine were divided fairly among the captured men.

Bianchi was killed in January 1945. He was lost at sea after the Japanese prisoner ship he was aboard was sunk.

The Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to Bianchi. It was given to his family and was eventually donated to the Brown County Historical Society.

The Landmarks program will include stories of Capt. Bianchi as told by his relatives and included newspaper articles.

Only 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded since its creation in 1863. Brown County was home to two recipients, both of whom will be featured in the Landmarks program.

The program will air at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 on Pioneer PBS and will be re-aired at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, February 26.