Fred Haefliger (October 23, 1892 – January 7, 1988) served in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He received the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

and Navy Cross. Haefliger was born in

Mount Vernon, Wisconsin Mount Vernon is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in the town of Springdale, Wisconsin, Springdale, Dane County, Wisconsin, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. History The "Big Spring" on the Mount Vernon Creek branch of the Su ...

. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in the First World War, he married Dena Johnson (1891–1986) in 1920. He farmed in Clinton, Wisconsin from 1930 to 1982. He died in Barron, Wisconsin.

Awards

Haefliger was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, and the

Silver Star Citation The Citation Star was a Department of War personal valor decoration issued as a ribbon device which was first established by the United States Congress on July 9, 1918 (Bulletin No. 43, War Dept. 1918). When awarded, a silver star was placed o ...

for bravery near

Saint-Étienne Saint-Étienne (; frp, Sant-Etiève; oc, Sant Estève, ) is a city and the prefecture of the Loire department in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Saint-Étienne is the t ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

on October 3, 1918. His Distinguished Service Cross citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Fred Haefliger (MCSN: 92778), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Seventy-Seventh Company, Sixth Machine-Gun Battalion, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near St. Etienne, France, 3 October 1918. When our advanced infantry was forced to withdraw, Private Haefliger's machine-gun crew refused to withdraw, but calmly set up their machine-gun. The gun was upset by a bursting hand grenade, which also injured Private Haefliger and another member of the squad. Despite their injuries, they immediately reset the gun and opened fire on the advancing Germans when twenty feet distant, causing the Germans to break and retreat in disorder.

His Navy Cross citation reads:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Private Fred Haefliger (MCSN: 92778), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the 77th Company, 6th Machine-Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F. in action near St. Etienne, France, 3 October 1918. When our advanced infantry was forced to withdraw, Private Haefliger's machine-gun crew refused to withdraw, but calmly set up their machine-gun. The gun was upset by a bursting hand grenade, which also injured Private Haefliger and another member of the squad. Despite their injuries, they immediately reset the gun and opened fire on the advancing Germans when twenty feet distant, causing the Germans to break and retreat in disorder.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Haefliger, Fred 1892 births 1988 deaths People from Mount Vernon, Wisconsin Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) United States Marines United States Marine Corps personnel of World War I Military personnel from Wisconsin