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 Masato Nakagawa (ASN: 39019095), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company G, 2d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, in action against the enemy on 7 November 1944, near La Houssiere, France. Attacking a strongly defended ridge after a three day stalemate, Staff Sergeant Nakagawa’s platoon was halted by the intense fire of four enemy machine guns. Without thought of personal safety, he crawled into a minefield located between the gun positions and his platoon, cutting wires attached to mines, until he was within thirty yards of the nearest enemy emplacement. Standing up in full view of the enemy, he fired several bursts from his submachine gun into the enemy position, wounding one crew member and causing the other to flee. Continuing forward in the face of heavy fire from another stronghold, he placed effective fire on the gun crew, wounding one and enabling two of his men to destroy the emplacement. Seeing that two of the machine gun nests had been neutralized, the crews of the remaining two hostile positions abandoned their weapons and fled. The inspiring courage and gallantry of Staff Sergeant Nakagawa, which broke the strength of stubborn enemy resistance, are exemplary of the finest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.