The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Sergeant Charles L. Eschbach (ASN: 7024410), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 242d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 11 April 1945, near Schwebheim, Germany. After the company encountered heavy small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and anti-aircraft fire in a woods, Sergeant Eschbach went to each platoon to determine the number of casualties. While on his mission another flak concentration wounded more men, so as the litter bearers came up, Sergeant Eschbach, carrying some of them himself, directed their evacuation to a safe place. Returning to his men, he crawled to an exposed position and killed an enemy forward observer with one shot. He then mounted two tank destroyers successively and directed their fire as well as manning one of their machine guns. A moment later, when two men suffering battle fatigue left their foxholes and started towards the center of the area being shelled, Sergeant Eschbach went into the open and physically forced these men back into their safe positions. When the company finally withdrew, one wounded man was missing so Sergeant Eschbach and another soldier went out under heavy fire, found him and evacuated him to safety.