Paul J. Wiedorfer

Infobox Military Person
name=Paul J. Wiedorfer
born=
died=
placeofbirth=Baltimore, Maryland
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption= Paul J. Wiedorfer, Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
allegiance=United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Master Sergeant
commands=
unit=318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division
battles=World War II
awards=Medal of Honor
relations=
laterwork=

Paul J. Wiedorfer is a retired United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.

Biography

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, raised in the 2400 block of McElderry Street, he attended St. Andrew's School, and graduated in 1939 from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.Rasmussen, Frederick N. - "'Someone had to do it. And I Just Did It' - Parkville Man Recalls Winning Medal of Honor Backstory". - "Baltimore Sun". - May 11, 2008. - Retrieved: 2008-08-28]

Married to his bride, Alica Steinmetz, for just six month when Wiedorfer enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, he was working as an apprentice power station operator at the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company in Baltimore,Green, Frank. - "'Something Had to Be Done' Soldier Won Medal of Honor for Heroic 1944 Effort to Help Platoon". - "Richmond Times-Dispatch". - July 9, 2005. - Retrieved: 2008-08-28] and was living in the 1900 block of Bank Street.Rasmussen, Frederick N. - This Week. - "Baltimore Sun". - June 4, 1995. - Retrieved: 2008-08-28]

Wiedorfer did his basic training at Camp Lee, Virginia. He was then assigned to the Quartermaster Corps, and then he took and passed the examination for cadet air training, and was training to be a pilot, but the army switched him to infantry because of greater need. On the way to England he crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the "Queen Mary", and by 25 December, 1944 was serving as a private in Company G, 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division.

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quote="So I thought, somebody's got to do something. And all of a sudden I said, 'Goddammit, let's see if we can get that nest.' I remember slipping, falling and the good Lord was with me and I got it. I got two of 'em."
source=Paul J. Wiedorfer On the Medal of Honor suicide charge
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On that Christmas Day, near Chaumont, Belgium, Wiedorfer single-handedly charged across 150 yards of open ground and then destroyed two German machine gun emplacements. He was subsequently promoted to Staff Sergeant and, on 12 June, 1945, issued the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

While crossing the Saar River, he was severely injured February 10, 1945 by a mortar shell that blew up near him, shrapnel broke his left leg, ripped into his stomach, and seriously injured two fingers on his right hand. The sergeant next to him was killed instantly. He was evacuated to the 137th United States Army General Hospital in England where he was placed in traction. While in the hospital a sergeant reading "Stars and Stripes" asked him how he spelled his name, and then told him he had won the Medal of Honor. Later, on May 5, 1945, General E.F. Koenig with a band entered the ward to present him with his medal.

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quote="Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Medal of Honor didn't exist because there were no wars and we could all live in peace? And that the only way to spell war was love? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
source=Paul J. Wiedorfer On the Medal of Honor Rasmussen, Frederick N. - Paul J. Wiedorfer. - "Baltimore Sun". - November 4, 2006. - Retrieved: 2008-08-28]
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Wiedorfer reached the rank of Master Sergeant before retiring from the Army. In addition to the Medal of Honor he also has a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

He returned to Baltimore June 11, 1945, and was given a ticker tape parade with General George C. Marshall and Maryland governor Herbert R. O'Conor in attendance.

After the war he spent another three years recovering in different army hospitals and then returned to Baltimore Gas & Electric, and retired in 1981, after 40 years of service. He and Alica had four children.

Medal of Honor citation

Wiedorfer's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

He alone made it possible for his company to advance until its objective was seized. Company G had cleared a wooded area of snipers, and 1 platoon was advancing across an open clearing toward another wood when it was met by heavy machinegun fire from 2 German positions dug in at the edge of the second wood. These positions were flanked by enemy riflemen. The platoon took cover behind a small ridge approximately 40 yards from the enemy position. There was no other available protection and the entire platoon was pinned down by the German fire. It was about noon and the day was clear, but the terrain extremely difficult due to a 3-inch snowfall the night before over ice-covered ground. Pvt. Wiedorfer, realizing that the platoon advance could not continue until the 2 enemy machinegun nests were destroyed, voluntarily charged alone across the slippery open ground with no protecting cover of any kind. Running in a crouched position, under a hail of enemy fire, he slipped and fell in the snow, but quickly rose and continued forward with the enemy concentrating automatic and small-arms fire on him as he advanced. Miraculously escaping injury, Pvt. Wiedorfer reached a point some 10 yards from the first machinegun emplacement and hurled a handgrenade into it. With his rifle he killed the remaining Germans, and, without hesitation, wheeled to the right and attacked the second emplacement. One of the enemy was wounded by his fire and the other 6 immediately surrendered. This heroic action by 1 man enabled the platoon to advance from behind its protecting ridge and continue successfully to reach its objective. A few minutes later, when both the platoon leader and the platoon sergeant were wounded, Pvt. Wiedorfer assumed command of the platoon, leading it forward with inspired energy until the mission was accomplished.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

References

*cite web
publisher = Congressional Medal of Honor Society
title = Full List of Living Recipients
url = http://www.cmohs.org/recipients/living_list_full.htm
accessdate = 2007-09-06

*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Medal of Honor Recipients - World War II (T-Z)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = 16 July, 2007
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/html/moh/wwII-t-z.html
accessdate = 2007-09-06

Footnotes

Persondata
NAME= Wiedorfer, Paul J.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=