ENGLEWOOD — Nicholas Oresko, the country's oldest Medal of Honor recipient, died Friday at Englewood Hospital, according to The Record.

The Bayonne native was presented with the award by President Harry Truman on Oct. 30, 1945, after he single-handedly killed 12 German soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge.

His actions were praised as key to the Allies' victory, and he was credited with preventing an untold number of American casualties.

In 2010, Bayonne honored Oresko by renaming the former School 14 in his honor.

Family friend John "Jack" Carbone told The Record that Oresko had been living at a Cresskill assisted living facility, where he had recently broken his femur during a fall.

He was taken to Englewood Hospital, where he was surrounded by various veterans and current members of the military until his death on Friday.

Related coverage

• Nicholas Oresko of Cresskill, World War II hero, dies at 96 | The Record