During a German attack on that day, near fr:Raddon-et-Chapendu, France, he led and encouraged his men until everyone in his unit had been killed or wounded.
Sergeant Messerschmidt's official Medal of Honor citation reads: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.
Virtually surrounded by a frenzied foe and all of his squad now casualties, he elected to fight alone, using his empty submachine gun as a bludgeon against his assailants.
Seeing friendly reinforcements running up the hill, he continued furiously to wield his empty gun against the foe in a new attack, and it was thus that he made the supreme sacrifice.
Messerschmidt's sustained heroism in hand-to-hand combat with superior enemy forces was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.