GERALD B. STEGEMEYER, Private First Class, Seventh United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action on the 6th of April 1945, in the vicinity of Buchhof, Germany. When the platoon sergeant leading the machine gun section was seriously wounded in the leg by a sniper, Private First Class Stegemeyer unhesitatingly went to his aid when he observed that the sniper was still firing at the fallen man. Before he reached the sergeant however, the sniper hit him again. Quickly applying first-aid, Private First Class Stegemeyer picked up the sergeant and then, though it was over four-hundred yards to cover, started up the hill. He had gone but a few yards with his heavy burden when he was hit in the leg by the sniper. However, he continued carrying the wounded man up the hill until he was hit in the leg again. By this time it was impossible for him to walk so he started crawling across the remaining three-hundred yards of open ground. When he stopped to fix the sergeant’s tourniquet, the sniper hit him again. Though very weak by now from loss of blood, he kept on with the heavy man, only to be struck a fourth time by the sniper, this time through the foot. Despite his painful wounds, Private First Class Stegemeyer finally succeeded in getting the sergeant to safety and medical care in time to save his life. His intrepid actions reflect great credit upon himself and the armed forces.

Mr. Stegemeyer resided in Illinois.