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First Name: John

Last Name: Mattfeldt

Birthplace: Bexar County, TX, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Home of Record: San Antonio, TX
Middle Name: Price



Date of Birth: 09 April 1921

Date of Death: 25 April 1945

Rank: First Lieutenant

Years Served:
John Price Mattfeldt

   
Graduate, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1943

Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

John Price Mattfeldt
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

On 14 April 1945, First Lieutenant John Price Mattfeldt was serving with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 387th Infantry Regiment, 97th Infantry Division, Twelfth Army Group, U.S. Army in the European Theater of Operations.

On that day, 1LT Mattfeldt’s unit was in action against German forces in Germany. During an assault on Schildgen, Germany, 1LT Mattfeldt’s machine gun platoon was halted by enemy fire and the section leader and a gunner were killed. 1LT Mattfeldt quickly took over operation of the gun and, rallying his men behind him, his fire on the enemy positions was so effective that his riflemen were able to reach a place of safety and reorganize. Seizing a rocket launcher, 1LT Mattfeldt then reduced 2 German strongpoints, allowing the attack to continue. 1LT Mattfeldt’s courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

On 25 April 1945, during an assault on the city of Egar, Czechoslovakia, 1LT Mattfeldt was commanding a platoon of machine guns attached to the leading elements of the assault forces and it came under heavy German fire from 2 nearby strong points. Putting his gun into operation, 1LT Mattfeldt forced the withdrawal of the German troops and continued the advance across a ravine in the face of enemy machine gun fire for a distance of 75 yards. 1LT Mattfeldt entered the city with the first troops and encountered heavy fire that halted the advance. Moving ahead of the riflemen, 1LT Mattfeldt placed heavy fire on the enemy while moving down a fire-swept street. While deploying his guns at an important intersection, 1LT Mattfeldt was killed instantly by a sudden burst of fire from concealed German positions. 1LT Mattfeldt’s selfless, courageous actions and heroism that day earned him, at the cost of his life, the U.S. Army's third highest award for valor, the Silver Star Medal.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal (Merit)
Purple Heart
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
World War II Victory Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) John Price Mattfeldt (ASN: 0-25949), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company M, 387th Infantry Regiment, 97th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 14 April 1945. When his machine gun platoon was halted by enemy fire during an assault on Schildgen, Germany, and the section leader and a gunner were killed, Lieutenant Mattfeldt unhesitatingly took over the operation of the gun, and, rallying his men behind him, so effectively fired upon the enemy positions that his riflemen were able to reach a place of safety and reorganize. Seizing a rocket launcher, he then effectively reduced two enemy strongpoints, thus permitting the attack to continue. First Lieutenant Mattfeldt's intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 97th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

Headquarters, Twelfth Army Group, General Orders No. 40 (1945)

Burial

First Lieutenant John Price Mattfeldt is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France in Plot E, Row 9, Grave 17.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56658130/john-price-mattfeldt



Honoree ID: 111829   Created by: MHOH

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