Alfred B. Nietzel

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Alfred B. Nietzel (April 27, 1921 – November 18, 1944) was a United States Army sergeant who received the Medal of Honor after his death in World War II.

Early life
Nietzel was born in the Fordham area of the Bronx, New York. He grew up as the first of three sons. His family’s situation was difficult, and in the 1930s he lived in a foster home. He left high school after two years and worked as a machinist in Nassau County, Long Island. He joined the Army on October 5, 1940, in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Military service
Nietzel served as a sergeant in Company H, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. He fought with U.S. forces as they moved through France, Belgium, and Germany during the tough early part of 1944.

Heroic actions and death
On November 18, 1944, during the Battle of Hürtgen Forest on the Belgium-German border, Nietzel’s unit faced a fierce enemy assault near Heistern, Germany. He deliberately stayed to cover the retreat of his squad, firing his machine gun to slow the attackers. When his ammunition ran out, he continued to fire his rifle until he was killed by a grenade. His actions helped buy time for reinforcements to arrive and helped his unit hold their position.

Medal of Honor and other awards
Nietzel was originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in 1945 for his bravery. In 2014, during a White House ceremony led by President Barack Obama, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for the same actions. The Medal of Honor citation notes his tenacious defense, his decision to send the remaining squad members to seek help, and his final stand with rifle fire after his machine gun was exhausted.

Burial and family
After his death, Nietzel was temporarily buried in Belgium at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery. He was repatriated to the United States in 1949 and buried on April 19, 1949, at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, New York, next to his younger brother William, who died earlier in 1944 while serving in England.

Other honors
Nietzel’s decorations include the Medal of Honor, the upgraded Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one bronze service star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.