Ellis R. Weicht

Sergeant, U.S. Army

Medal of Honor Recipient

World War II

Sergeant Ellis R. Weicht (17 April 1916 - 3 December 1944) was a U.S. Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War II.

Ellis R. Weicht was born on 17 April 1916 in Clearville, PA. He joined the Army from Bedford, PA. On 3 December 1944, he was serving as a Sergeant in Company F, 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. During fighting in Saint-Hippolyte, France, that day, he single-handedly attacked two hostile gun emplacements before being killed while attacking an enemy road block. For his actions during the battle, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company F, 142nd Infantry, 36th Infantry Division.

Place and date: St. Hippolyte, France, 3 December 1944.

Citation: For commanding an assault squad in Company F's attack against the strategically important Alsatian town of St. Hippolyte on 3 December 1944. He aggressively led his men down a winding street, clearing the houses of opposition as he advanced. Upon rounding a bend, the group was suddenly brought under the fire of 2 machineguns emplaced in the door and window of a house 100 yards distant. While his squad members took cover, Sgt. Weicht moved rapidly forward to a high rock wall and, fearlessly exposing himself to the enemy action, fired 2 clips of ammunition from his rifle. His fire proving ineffective, he entered a house opposite the enemy gun position, and, firing from a window, killed the 2 hostile gunners. Continuing the attack, the advance was again halted when two 20-mm. guns opened fire on the company. An artillery observer ordered friendly troops to evacuate the area and then directed artillery fire upon the gun positions. Sgt. Weicht remained in the shelled area and continued to fire on the hostile weapons. When the barrage lifted and the enemy soldiers attempted to remove their gun, he killed 2 crewmembers and forced the others to flee. Sgt. Weicht continued to lead his squad forward until he spotted a road block approximate 125 yards away. Moving to the second floor of a nearby house and firing from a window, he killed 3 and wounded several of the enemy. Instantly becoming a target for heavy and direct fire, he disregarded personal safety to continue his fire, with unusual effectiveness, until he was killed by a direct hit from an antitank gun.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart

Death and Burial

Sergeant Ellis R. Weicht was killed in action on 3 December 1944. He is buried at the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Epinal, France, in Plot B, Row 42, Grave 20.