| Birth: | 1923 | | Death: | Sep. 17, 1944 | 
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Sergeant in the United States Army in Company L, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on September 17, 1944 near Radden, France. He was killed in action. His citation reads in part "Knocked to the ground by a burst from an enemy automatic weapon, he immediately jumped to his feet, and ignoring his grave wounds, fired his submachine gun at the enemy that was now upon them, killing five and wounding many others before his ammunition was spent. Virtually surrounded by a frenzied foe and all of his squad now casualties, he elected to fight alone, using his empty sub-machine gun as a bludgeon against his assailants. Spotting one of the enemy about to kill a wounded comrade, he felled the German with a blow of his weapon. Seeing friendly reinforcements running up the hill, he continued furiously to wield his empty gun against the foe in a new attack, and it was thus that he made the supreme sacrifice." (bio by: Don Morfe)
Search Amazon for Harold Messerschmidt | | | Burial:
Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery
Barnesville
Schuylkill County
Pennsylvania, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Don Morfe
Record added: Mar 08, 2003
Find A Grave Memorial# 7243967 |
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Mona Cote
Added: Feb. 12, 2013 |
A true warrior
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David W. Rixon
Added: Sep. 17, 2012 |
Rest in peace, Sergeant. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. May we always honor the high price you paid for our freedom. Your gallantry was not in vain; millions still live in the light of the freedom you fought and died for. God bless you!
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Sharon
Added: Sep. 17, 2012 |
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(4.4 after 19 votes)
