The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant John Rabis (ASN; 31042325), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, in action near ****, Germany, on 25 February 1945. When forward elements of his company had become pinned down by heavy machine gun fire emanating from a building to the front, Sergeant Rabis, a squad leader, armed with an M-1 rifle, voluntarily and alone crawled forward to the hostile position. After killing three enemy soldiers who were resisting his advance, he proceeded for a distance of 100 yards under intense enemy fire to gain a point from where he was able to hurl several hand grenades through a window, silencing the enemy weapon and enabling his unit to continue the attack. His intrepidity is in accord with the military traditions of the United States.