Second Lieutenant – then Sargeant – Edward C. Dahlgren of the U.S. Army, Company E, 142nd Infantry, 36th Infantry Division led the third Platoon to the rescue of a similar unit, which had been surrounded in an enemy counterattack at Oberhoffen, France on February 11, 1945.
Having entered the Army in Portland, the Perham-born Dahlgren displayed courage under fire all those years ago as he advanced along a street, observing several Germans crossing a field about 100 yards away.
“Running into a barn, he took up a position in a window and swept the hostile troops with submachine gun fire, killing six, wounding others and completely disorganizing the group. His platoon then moved forward through intermittent sniper fire and made contact with the besieged Americans,
“When the two platoons had been reorganized, Sgt. Dahlgren continued to advance along the street until he drew fire from an enemy-held house. In the face of machine pistol and rifle fire, he ran toward the building, hurled a grenade through the door and blasted his way inside with his gun. This aggressive attack reportedly so rattled the Germans that all eight men who held the strongpoint immediately surrendered.
“As Sgt. Dahlgren started toward the next house hostile machinegun fire drove him to cover. He secured rifle grenades, stepped to an exposed position and launched his missiles from a difficult angle until he had destroyed the machinegun and killed its two operators. He moved to the rear of the house and suddenly came under the fire of a machine gun emplaced in a barn.
“Throwing a grenade into the structure, he rushed the position, firing his weapon as he ran; within, the overwhelmed five Germans. After reorganizing his unit he advanced to clear hostile riflemen from the building where he had destroyed the machinegun. He entered the house by a window and trapped the Germans in the cellar, where he tossed grenades into their midst, wounding several and forcing 10 more to surrender.
“While reconnoitering another street with a comrade, he heard German voices in a house, an attack with rifle grenades drove the hostile troops to the cellar. Sgt. Dahlgren entered the building, kicked open the cellar door, and, firing several bursts down the stairway, called for the trapped enemy to surrender. Sixteen soldiers filed out with their hands in the air.
“The bold leadership and magnificent courage displayed by Sgt. Dahlgren in his heroic attacks were in a large measure responsible for repulsing an enemy counterattack and saving an American platoon from great danger,” stated Peter Ogden, reading from a letter that was presented to Dahlgren’s widow, Pauline Dahlgren from the President of the United States.
Along with the letter, Maine Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Brent Boyles presented Pauline Dahlgren with the Medal of Honor Flag, presented to each person to whom a Medal of Honor is awarded. Dahlgren died on May 31, 2006 at the Maine Veterans Home, but his widow accepted the light blue flag with gold fringe and 13 stars in his stead last Sunday at the Maine Veteran’s Home in Caribou. Dahlgren received the Medal of Honor from late President Harry S. Truman on Aug. 23, 1945, well before Public Law 107-248, Section 8143 was passed, requiring all persons who are awarded a Medal of Honor to also be awarded a Medal of Honor Flag.
The flag is now to be presented to new recipients at the same time the Medal of Honor is presented.
A month before he died, Dahlgren was decorated with the French Legion of Honor, the highest honor bestowed by France. After his heroics in the war, Dahlgren was a hero of the hometown variety, living and working in Blaine as a seed potato inspector and raising four children with Pauline.
