KESSLER, PATRICK L. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company K, 30th
Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Ponte Rotto, Italy,
23 May 1944. Entered service at: Middletown, Ohio. Birth: Middletown, Ohio.
G.O. No.: 1, 4 January 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Kessler, acting
without orders, raced 50 yards through a hail of machinegun fire, which
had killed 5 of his comrades and halted the advance of his company, in
order to form an assault group to destroy the machinegun. Ordering 3 men
to act as a base of fire, he left the cover of a ditch and snaked his way
to a point within 50 yards of the enemy machinegun before he was discovered,
whereupon he plunged headlong into the furious chain of automatic fire.
Reaching a spot within 6 feet of the emplacement he stood over it and killed
both the gunner and his assistant, jumped into the gun position, overpowered
and captured a third German after a short struggle. The remaining member
of the crew escaped, but Pfc. Kessler wounded him as he ran. While taking
his prisoner to the rear, this soldier saw 2 of his comrades killed as
they assaulted an enemy strongpoint, fire from which had already killed
10 men in the company. Turning his prisoner over to another man, Pfc. Kessler
crawled 35 yards to the side of 1 of the casualties, relieved him of his
BAR and ammunition and continued on toward the strongpoint, 125 yards distant.
Although 2 machineguns concentrated their fire directly on him and shells
exploded within 10 yards, bowling him over, Pfc. Kessler crawled 75 yards,
passing through an antipersonnel minefield to a point within 50 yards of
the enemy and engaged the machineguns in a duel. When an artillery shell
burst within a few feet of him, he left the cover of a ditch and advanced
upon the position in a slow walk, firing his BAR from the hip. Although
the enemy poured heavy machinegun and small arms fire at him, Pfc. Kessler
succeeded in reaching the edge of their position, killed the gunners, and
captured 13 Germans. Then, despite continuous shelling, he started to the
rear. After going 25 yards, Pfc. Kessler was fired upon by 2 snipers only
100 yards away. Several of his prisoners took advantage of this opportunity
and attempted to escape; however, Pfc. Kessler hit the ground, fired on
either flank of his prisoners, forcing them to cover, and then engaged
the 2 snipers in a fire fight, and captured them. With this last threat
removed, Company K continued its advance, capturing its objective without
further opposition. Pfc. Kessler was killed in a subsequent action.
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