User:Reguyla\Frederick S. De Benedetto

Frederick "Freddie" S. De Benedetto (4 April 1925 in Connecticut – Killed in action 14 April 1945 near Schildgen) was a American Private First Class in the United States Army during World War II. He also was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross which was awarded for having distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy in circumstances which do not justify the award of the Medal of Honor.

Biography
He was born on April 4th, 1925 in Connecticut. He was the son of Anthony and Agatha De Benedetto and his sisters were Dolores De Benedetto and Joan De Benedetto. He was a graduate of Bloomfield High School in Bloomfield, Connecticut. He enlisted in the United States Army from Hartford, Connecticut on July 2nd, 1943 (ASN: 31378669). He was killed in action on April 14th, 1945 near Schildgen, Germany. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for voluntarily assuming an exposed position to cover the advance of his comrades across an open area. With cool, heroic defiance, he poured a deadly stream of automatic rifle fire into the hostile positions and so effectively diverted their return fire to himself that his squad and the main body of his platoon were able to cross the exposed area without a casualty. He was later killed by a sniper. He was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery.

Awards

 * Distinguished Service Cross on 22 August 1945 (posthumously) as Private First Class in Company C, 59th Armored Infantry Battalion, 13th Armored Division
 * Purple Heart
 * Expert Infantryman Badge
 * Combat Infantryman Badge
 * American Campaign Medal
 * World War II Victory Medal