Otto F. Dittrich

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, WD, 1918). and pursuant to authority contained in AR 600-45 (Decorations), 22 September 1943, and authority delegated in 2d Ind, Hq USAFPOA, APO 958, 5 Aug 44, “Delegation of Authority to Award Decoration”, a Silver Star is awarded by the Commanding General, 81st Infantry Division to the following named military personnel: Private First Class Otto F. Dittrich (Army serial No. 38111354), 81st Signal Company, United States Army. For gallantry in action on Anguar Island, Palau Group, 4 October 1944. Private Dittrich, as driver for a wire-laying team, was engaged in laying a line to an outpost when his team was subjected to enemy rifle fire wounding two members of the team. He assisted the wounded and all took cover behind a vehicle. After administering first aid, Private Dittrich secured a telephone and test clips from the vehicle, and in the face of enemy fire, crossed the exposed road, tapped a circuit and telephoned for an ambulance. He then proceeded across the area exposed to enemy fire in order to meet and direct the ambulance to the wounded over the safest possible route. Prior to the arrival of the ambulance, a combat patrol arrived to search out the enemy rifleman. Private Dittrich’s gallantry in twice exposing himself to enemy fire was the sole means of securing prompt medical attention for the wounded man.