The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
WIEDORFER, PAUL J.
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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