Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private 1st Class

Unit:

Company F, 253d Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division "Blood and Fire", U.S. Army (Company F, 253d Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division "Blood and Fire", U.S. Army)

By direction of the President the Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to the following individual: Gerald B. Stegemeyer, Private First Class, 36 817 433, Company F, 253d Infantry Regiment, for extraordinary heroism in action on 6 April 1945, in the vicinity of Buchhof, Germany. When the platoon sergeant leading the machine gun section was seriously wounded in the leg by a sniper, Private First Class Stegemeyer unhesitatingly went to his aid, when he observed that the sniper was still firing at the fallen man. Before he reached the sergeant however; the sniper him him again. Quickly applying first aid, Private First Class Stegemeyer picked up the sergeant, and though it was over four hundred yards to cover, started up the hill. He had gone but a few yards with his heavy burden, when he was hit in the leg by a sniper. However, he continued carrying the wounded man up the hill until he was hit in the leg again. By this time it was impossible for him to walk so he started crawling across the remaining three hundred yards of open ground. When he stopped to fix the sergeant's tourniquet, the sniper hit him again. Though very weak by now from loss of blood, he kept on with the heavy man only to be struck a fourth time by the sniper, this time through the foot. Despite his painful wounds, Private First Class Stegemeyer finally succeeded in getting the sergeant to safety, and medical care in time to save his life. His intrepid actions reflect credit upon himself and the Armed Forces.

Headquarters, Seventh U.S. Army, General Orders No. 92 (1946).