Demmer G. Welch

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Demmer G. Welch (37061347), Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 275th Infantry Regiment, 70th Infantry Division, on 24 February 1945, near Saarbrucken, Germany. Staff Sergeant Welch commanded a rifle squad when a strong enemy counterattack was launched against his position. When his BAR men became casualties, Staff Sergeant Welch, appreciating the necessity for immediate fire power, picked up the BAR and, utterly disregarding his own safety in the face of continuous enemy fire, moved forward firing from the hip until he knocked out an enemy machine gun which had been firing upon his squad. Though he was killed by enemy fire shortly thereafter, Staff Sergeant Welch’s gallant action had saved his squad from possible annihilation, and helped immeasurably in repelling the enemy attack.