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 Harold J. McNeilly (ASN: 36520835), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 6 and 7 April 1945, at ****, Germany. Company A was weathering a severe counterattack by enemy forces estimated at battalion strength supported by medium armor augmented by barrages from light and medium artillery. Private McNeilly, Rifleman, fought at his roadblock outpost with his rifle, Gammon and fragmentation grenades and Panzerfausts retrieved from the enemy. He assisted notably in holding back for eighteen hours numerically superior infiltrating forces which threatened to overrun his platoon’s nearby command post. By his dauntless and daring stand in the face of thick enemy fire, Private McNeilly conducted himself in keeping with the highest traditions of the Airborne Forces.