Nickname(s) Izzy Name Isadore Jachman | Rank Staff Sergeant Education Balti City College Years of service 1942–1945 Died January 4, 1945, Belgium | |
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Awards Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart | ||
Isadore Seigfreid Jachman (December 14, 1922 -January 4, 1945) was a United States Army Staff Sergeant who was killed in World War II after defending the town of Flamierge in Belgium (now a deelgemeente of Bertogne) from a German attack on January 4, 1945. For his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, above and beyond the call of duty"; he received the Medal of Honor.
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Background
Isadore Jachman was born in Berlin, Germany, on December 14, 1922, the first son of Leo and Lotte Jachmann. The family moved to the United States when Isadore was two years old. He was raised in Baltimore, Maryland and attended high school at the Baltimore City College, graduating in 1939. Jachman, who was Jewish, had relatives who died in the Holocaust, including six aunts and uncles. He joined the Army in November 1942.
Medal of Honor action
Sergeant Jachman, Company B, 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment and his company were pinned down by enemy artillery, mortar, small arms fire and two hostile tanks that attacked the unit, inflicting heavy casualties. Sergeant Jachman left his place of cover, dashed across open ground, through a hail of fire and grabbed a bazooka from a fallen comrade. He then advanced on the tanks, which concentrated their fire on him. Firing his weapon, he damaged one and forced both of them to retire.
Some years later the village of Flamierge erected a statue where an unknown brave American soldier had stood fighting to save the village. Later, a search of Army records established that this indeed was Staff Sgt. Jachman, and his name was added to the statue. Today, the Staff Sgt. Isadore Jachman Armory is located at 12100 Greenspring Avenue, Owings Mills, Maryland.
His Medal of Honor was awarded to his family in June 1950.