Harold F. Schaefer

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Harold F. Schaefer, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company G, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 31 January 1945, in Belgium. When his company was pinned down by heavy machine gun fire from a hostile strongpoint, Staff Sergeant Schaefer led his platoon on a flanking movement through a heavily mined field, pointing out trip wires and anti-personnel mines to his comrades. Encountering a German soldier carrying a machine gun, he forced him at rifle point to drop his weapon and to call another hostile gun crew to surrender. When a second enemy weapon opened fire into the flank of his company, he crawled to within a few yards of the emplacement, hurled several grenades, and knocked the weapon out of action. Staff Sergeant Schaefer’s intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 99th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.