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Rank and organization:
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company
F, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division.
Place and date:
St. Hippolyte, France, 3 December 1944.
Entered service at:
Bedford, Pa.
Birth:
Clearville, Pa.
G.O. No.:
58, 19 July 1945.
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.
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