Medal of Honor: Dwite H. Schaffner, World War I, September 28, 1918

Name: Dwite H. Schaffner
Rank: First Lieutenant
War: World War I
Date of Action: September 28, 1918
Unit: 306th Infantry, 77th Division
Accredited to: Falls Creek, Pennsylvania

Summary of Action
Near St. Hubert’s Pavillion in the Argonne, Schaffner led his men through a storm of fire, capturing entrenched German positions in savage hand-to-hand fighting. He inspired his troops to hold through three fierce counterattacks. Twice he scouted for a deadly machine gun that was cutting his company down—on the third attempt, he found it and destroyed the crew himself. Later, as German forces struck again, enemy troops suddenly appeared behind his men, sowing chaos. Schaffner leapt onto the trench parapet, pistol and grenades in hand, cutting down attackers at close range. He fought his way to the enemy’s captain, shot him, dragged him back alive, and wrung from him vital intelligence. With this knowledge, Schaffner held his battered company’s position for five brutal hours, surrounded on three sides. His defiance and leadership saved his men from certain death or capture.

Medal of Honor Citation
SCHAFFNER, DWITE H.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 306th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and date: Near St. Hubert’s Pavillion, Boureuilles, France, 28 September 1918. Entered service at: Falls Creek, Pa. Birth: Arroya, Pa. G.O. No.: 15, W.D., 1923. Citation: He led his men in an attack on St. Hubert’s Pavillion through terrific enemy machinegun, rifle, and artillery fire and drove the enemy from a strongly held entrenched position after hand-to-hand fighting. His bravery and contempt for danger inspired his men, enabling them to hold fast in the face of 3 determined enemy counterattacks. His company’s position being exposed to enemy fire from both flanks, he made 3 efforts to locate an enemy machinegun which had caused heavy casualties. On his third reconnaissance he discovered the gun position and personally silenced the gun, killing or wounding the crew. The third counterattack made by the enemy was initiated by the appearance of a small detachment in advance of the enemy attacking wave. When almost within reach of the American front line the enemy appeared behind them, attacking vigorously with pistols, rifles, and handgrenades, causing heavy casualties in the American platoon. 1st Lt. Schaffner mounted the parapet of the trench and used his pistol and grenades killing a number of enemy soldiers, finally reaching the enemy officer leading the attacking forces, a captain, shooting and mortally wounding the latter with his pistol, and dragging the captured officer back to the company’s trench, securing from him valuable information as to the enemy’s strength and position. The information enabled 1st Lt. Schaffner to maintain for 5 hours the advanced position of his company despite the fact that it was surrounded on 3 sides by strong enemy forces. The undaunted bravery, gallant soldierly conduct, and leadership displayed by 1st Lt. Schaffner undoubtedly saved the survivors of the company from death or capture.