*DIETZ, ROBERT H .
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant,
U.S. Army, Company A, 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division. Place and
date: Kirchain, Germany, 29 March 1945. Entered service at: Kingston, N.Y. Birth:
Kingston, N.Y. G.O. No.: 119, 17 December 1945.
Citation:
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.
