Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Technician Fifth Grade

Unit:

Company B, 303rd Engineer Battalion, 78th Infantry Division "Lightning", U.S. Army

Awarded on:

February 20th, 1945

By direction of the President, under the provisions of Army Regulations 600-45, 22 September 1943, as amended, the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to Technician Fifth Grade William H. Carstensen (32604557), Corps of Engineers, Company B, 303rd Engineer Battalion, for heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy on 8 February in the vicinity of ... in Germany.

Technician Fifth Grade William H. Carstensen, a member of a squad of engineers attached to a leading rifle company, was pinned down by automatic weapons fire. The infantry unit called for tank support, but was unable to secure it because of a deep concentration of anti-tank mines. The engineers party split into two groups and began to clear a path for the tanks. After riding the lead tanks forward and clearing paths for them to maneuver into a firing position, Technician Fifth Grade Carstensen returned and repeated the process on remaining tanks. When a tank became disabled the party fell back to the following tanks and continued their work, at all times under continuous observed and direct enemy fire. The disregard for personal safety and devotion to duty displayed by Technician Fifth Grade Carstensen are in accordance with the highest military traditions.

- Headquarters, 78th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, General Orders No. 43 (20 February, 1945).