The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Edwin A. Kolodziej (ASN: 42005132), United States Army, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with Company B, *** Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division, on 16 November 1944, in the vicinity of Fort Jeanne D’Arc, France. Private First Class Kolodziej, a member of a group of combat scouts attacking a large, heavily-fortified enemy bunker, voluntarily, and with his Sergeant, moved into a position exposed to withering artillery, mortar and machine gun fire in an attempt to destroy a machine gun inside the bunker. Boldly placing his own machine gun on a mound of dirt directly in front of the pillbox, Private First Class Kolodziej helped his Sergeant pour fire into the enemy position until the German gun no longer replied. Thereupon, the commander of the pillbox surrendered with his entire garrison of forty-six men. Upon questioning, the enemy commander asserted that the confident position of Private First Class Kolodiej’s machine gun had led him to believe that the bunker was surrounded by American troops and his situation was therefore hopeless. Private First Class Kolodiej’s superb heroism in making possible the elimination of a powerful enemy fortification reflects great credit upon himself and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.