Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
World War II - U.S. Army
Joseph Edward Schaefer
Details
- Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Conflict/Era: World War II
- Unit/Command:
2d Platoon, Company I, 18th Infantry,
1st Infantry Division - Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
- Medal of Honor Action Date: September 24, 1944
- Medal of Honor Action Place: near Stolberg, Germany
Citation
He was in charge of a squad of the 2d Platoon in the vicinity of Stolberg, Germany, early in the morning of 24 September 1944, when two enemy companies supported by machine guns launched an attack to seize control of an important crossroads which was defended by his platoon. One American squad was forced back, another captured, leaving only S/Sgt. Schaefer's men to defend the position. To shift his squad into a house which would afford better protection, he crawled about under heavy small-arms and machine-gun fire, instructed each individual, and moved to the building. A heavy concentration of enemy artillery fire scored hits on his strongpoint. S/Sgt. Schaefer assigned his men to positions and selected for himself the most dangerous one at the door. With his M1 rifle, he broke the first wave of infantry thrown toward the house. The Germans attacked again with grenades and flamethrowers but were thrown back a second time, S/Sgt. Schaefer killing and wounding several. Regrouped for a final assault, the Germans approached from two directions. One force drove at the house from the front, while a second group advanced stealthily along a hedgerow. Recognizing the threat, S/Sgt. Schaefer fired rapidly at the enemy before him, killing or wounding all six; then, with no cover whatever, dashed to the hedgerow and poured deadly accurate shots into the second group, killing five, wounding two others, and forcing the enemy to withdraw. He scoured the area near his battered stronghold and captured 10 prisoners. By this time the rest of his company had begun a counterattack; he moved forward to assist another platoon to regain its position. Remaining in the lead, crawling and running in the face of heavy fire, he overtook the enemy, and liberated the American squad captured earlier in the battle. In all, single-handed and armed only with his rifle, he killed between 15 and 20 Germans, wounded at least as many more, and took 10 prisoners. S/Sgt. Schaefer's indomitable courage and his determination to hold his position at all costs were responsible for stopping an enemy breakthrough.
Additional Details
- Accredited to: Long Island, New York
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Presentation Date & Details: July 18, 1945
Neustadt, Germany by MG Clift Andrus - Born: December 27, 1918, New York, NY, United States
- Died: March 16, 1987, Staten Island, NY, United States
- Buried: Long Island National Cemetery (MH) (DSS-80), Farmingdale, NY, United States