"He was a squad leader when the task force to which his unit was attached
encountered resistance in its advance on Kirchain, Germany. Between the
town's outlying buildings 300 yards distant and the stalled armored
column were a minefield and 2 bridges defended by German
rocket-launching teams and riflemen. From the town itself came heavy
small-arms fire. Moving forward with his men to protect engineers while
they removed the minefield and the demolition charges attached to the
bridges, S/Sgt. Dietz came under intense fire. On his own initiative he
advanced alone, scorning the bullets which struck all around him, until
he was able to kill the bazooka
team defending the first bridge. He continued ahead and had killed
another bazooka team, bayoneted an enemy soldier armed with a panzerfaust
and shot 2 Germans when he was knocked to the ground by another blast
of another panzerfaust. He quickly recovered, killed the man who had
fired at him and then jumped into waist-deep water under the second
bridge to disconnect the demolition charges. His work was completed; but
as he stood up to signal that the route was clear, he was killed by
another enemy volley from the left flank. S/Sgt. Dietz by his
intrepidity and valiant effort on his self-imposed mission,
single-handedly opened the road for the capture of Kirchain and left
with his comrades an inspiring example of gallantry in the face of
formidable odds."
From S/Sgt. Dietz's Medal of Honor citation, awarded on December 17, 1945.
Thank you for your service and may you be at peace,
Brian
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