Laurel outlook., 1945-01-31
Gives His Life
TOSave Buddies
Medal Of Honor Awarded
To Hero Who Faced Hail
Of Fire to Help Pals.

ing path through concentrated enemy
fire, and in so doing spared the lives
of scores of his comrades, has been
awarded, posthumously, the medal
Of honor, the war department an
nounced.
The action was among the deadly
hedgerows of France last June 10.
Details gathered since reveal his
act to be one of selfess heroism and
calculated sacrifice. In the words
of his officers and comrades in the
First infantry division, &c he
knew he would draw enough fire to
kill off a battalion, but could save
the lives of most of his company"
The action is described by the
commander of the company, Capt.
William E. Russell.
"He started forward to help a
wounded scout and it was i'm
possible that any man could ad-
vance under that fire without get
ting hit," the captain related. "The
machine guns and rifles all opened
up on him.
"But he went through it, his rifle
blazing He picked up the wounded
scout and carried him to the shelter
of hedgerow that paralleled our
advance. There an aid man was
able to dress the scouts wounds
and at the same time he noticed
that Staff Sergeant DeFranzo was
wounded. But with a grin, and
gesture of refusal with his arm, he
was off again.
Heads Into Hail of Fire.
''He entered the field and led an
advance himself"
While the infantrymen of his COM
pany took up the advance, they
watched the slender figure ahead
continue to charge directly into the
rim of enemy fire.
Zone by one the emplacements
became SILENT" Captain Russell's
account continues. Ellis advance
was marked by enemy dead.
"But he was not invulnerable to
the hail of enemy fire. Several
times he was hit and his loss of
blood was great.
"At one point he fell and his arm
was waving in a forward gesture
as he went down. His squad saw no
more of him until they reached a
point 20 yards from where he had
gone down.
'Then, up he came, limping and
stumbling, but with his rifle blaZ-
ing-and once more he was out in
front. The intensity of the fire was
too much and spirit could no longer
carry the body. He was struck again
but his final efforts were expended
in an achievement of great impor-
tance to his company.
''He staggered a last few yards
and as he fell he threw several
hand grenades into machine gun
nest firing on him, destroying the
weapon and crew."
The official citation reads:
'For conspicuous gallantry and |
at the risk of his |
life, above and beyond the call of |
duty, on June 10, 1914, near Vauba-
don, France. AS scouts were ad
across an open field, the
enemy suddenly opened fire with
several machine guns and hit one of
the men. Staff Sergeant DeFranzo
moved out in the open
to the aid of the wounded scout and
was himself wounded but brought
the man to safety.
Refusing aid, Staff Sergeant De-
nnfnrA1 fba Gn1d nnd /
led the advance upon the enemy.
There were always at least two ma
chine guns bringing unrelenting fire
upon him, but Staff Sergeant De-
Franzo kept going forward, firing
into the enemy and one by one the
enemy replacements became silent.
While advancing he was again
but continued on until he
was within 100 yards of the enemy
position and even as he fell, he kept
firing his rifle and waving his men
forward.
"When his company came up be-
lind him, Staff Sergeant DeFranzo,
lespite his many severe wounds,
raised himself and once
more moved forward in the lead of
lis men until he was again hit by
enemy fire. In a final gesture of in
lomitable courage, he threw several
,renades at the enemy machine gun
position and completely destroyed
he gun. In this action Staff Ser
,eant DeFranzo lost his life, but by
gearing the brunt of the enemy
ire in leading the attack, he pre-
'ented a delay in the assault which
would have been of considerable
benefit to the foe, and he made
,ossible his company's advance with
minimum of casualties. The eX-
raordinary heroism and magni-
icent devotion to duty displayed by
taft Sergeant DeFranzo was
reat inspiration to all about him,
nd is in keeping with the highest
traditions of the armed forces"