Paul J. Wiedorfer, WWII Medal of Honor recipient, dies at 89

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Washington Post

Paul J. Wiedorfer, 89, who as an Army private on Christmas Day 1944 charged two German machine-gun nests and single-handedly saved his platoon mates caught in an ambush, an act for which he received the Medal of Honor, died May 25 at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. His family said he had congestive heart failure.

Mr. Wiedorfer, who was born and grew up in Baltimore, was reportedly Maryland’s last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest award for valor.

He was 23 when his unit, part of Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army, was sent to rescue American troops trapped in Bastogne, Belgium, during the first days of the Battle of the Bulge.

On Christmas 1944, he and his platoon were advancing across a clearing in the snow-draped forest near Chaumont, Belgium. It was about noon on the cloudless, cold day when two camouflaged machine guns erupted with fire.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/paul-j-wiedorfer-wwii-medal-of-honor-recipient-dies-at-89/2011/05/26/AGtkKMCH_story.html

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RIP Mr. Wiedorfer. Truly a good man and a hero. Fitting you passed so close to Memorial Day. I hope you are buried with full military honors. :patriot:

[hlthe2b]

1. Looking them so rapidly, now....RIP, sir

You most certainly deserve it...

[Sonoman]

2. The last three sentences really touched me.

"As he aged, Mr. Wiedorfer said he prayed for the day there would be no living recipients of the Medal of Honor.

“Because,” he once said, “it will mean that we have learned to live in peace.”

Today, 84 recipients remain."


RIP, Troop...

Sonoman

[Faygo Kid]

3. Me, too. No more Medal of Honor winners alive because "we have learned to live in peace."

Need to wipe an eye here. Must be the humidity.

Thank you, Mr. Wiedorfer.

[Javaman]

4. RIP Mr. Wiedorfer

You served well, lived better and though of peace.

[melm00se]

5. his citation reads

Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant (then Private), U.S. Army, Company G, 318th Infantry, 80th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near, Chaumont, Belgium, 25 December 1944. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Birth: Baltimore, Md.

G.O. No.: 45, 12 June 1945.

Citation: He alone made it possible for his company to advance until its objective was seized. Company G had cleared a wooded area of snipers, and 1 platoon was advancing across an open clearing toward another wood when it was met by heavy machinegun fire from 2 German positions dug in at the edge of the second wood. These positions were flanked by enemy riflemen. The platoon took cover behind a small ridge approximately 40 yards from the enemy position. There was no other available protection and the entire platoon was pinned down by the German fire. It was about noon and the day was clear, but the terrain extremely difficult due to a 3-inch snowfall the night before over ice-covered ground. Pvt. Wiedorfer, realizing that the platoon advance could not continue until the 2 enemy machinegun nests were destroyed, voluntarily charged alone across the slippery open ground with no protecting cover of any kind. Running in a crouched position, under a hail of enemy fire, he slipped and fell in the snow, but quickly rose and continued forward with the enemy concentrating automatic and small-arms fire on him as he advanced. Miraculously escaping injury, Pvt. Wiedorfer reached a point some 10 yards from the first machinegun emplacement and hurled a handgrenade into it. With his rifle he killed the remaining Germans, and, without hesitation, wheeled to the right and attacked the second emplacement. One of the enemy was wounded by his fire and the other 6 immediately surrendered. This heroic action by 1 man enabled the platoon to advance from behind its protecting ridge and continue successfully to reach its objective. A few minutes later, when both the platoon leader and the platoon sergeant were wounded, Pvt. Wiedorfer assumed command of the platoon, leading it forward with inspired energy until the mission was accomplished.

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and non-military folks sometimes wonder why MOH recipients are automatically saluted by the lowest private to the most senior and highest ranking. They earned that honor.