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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Lawrence H. Haschemeyer (ASN: 0-1312384), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Headquarters Company, ** Infantry Battalion, 142d Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces in the vicinity of Valletri, Italy, on 1 June 1944. Lieutenant Haschemeyer was moving with a column toward a position chosen for the Battalion Command Post after his organization had occupied a hill north of Valletri, completing a block of the enemy’s route of withdrawal from that town. German troops, seeking to elude the advancing American forces, attempted to escape from Valletri by infiltration through our soldiers. A group of the retreating enemy, heavily armed with automatic weapons, began to fire on the column. Realizing the imminent danger of disorganization and resultant casualties, Lieutenant Haschemeyer quickly organized a patrol of eight men from the Headquarters Company personnel available and ordered his men forward to smash the German theat. Maintaining close contact, he found that the enemy had superior fire power. Sizing up the situation instantly, he deployed his patrol, and set up a base of fire. Accompanied by one of his Infantrymen, Lieutenant Haschemeyer crawled 50 yards over the steep, rocky slope, under direct observation of the enemy and under savage machinegun fire, to a position from which he could deliver deadly flanking fire on the Germans. A bitter duel of fire ensued. As Lieutenant Haschemeyer poured his flanking fire at the enemy, the men of his patrol, acting under his previously-given instructions, out-maneuvered the Germans, killing or capturing every member of the numerically superior enemy force and freeing four American soldiers who had been taken prisoner. During the fire fight, Lieutenant Haschemeyer was fatally wounded, but he refused to be evacuated until the victory had been won. Second Lieutenant Haschemeyer’s extraordinary heroism, 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 and the United States Army.