The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant James G. McAtamney (ASN: 31138329), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 349th Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 25 September 1944, near Mount La Fine, Italy. When his machine gun platoon was in a defensive position on a barren slope of Mount La Fine, Italy, the enemy laid a mortar barrage on the hill and then assaulted, firing automatic weapons as they advanced. As the hostile forces attacked a forward machine gun emplacement, the intense fire killed one of the crew and the other defenders abandoned the machine gun. Seeing Germans charging up the hill only thirty feet from the gun. Technical Sergeant McAtamney immediately hurled a grenade into their midst and rushed forward alone to seize the weapon. With no regard for the murderous fire tearing into the earth about him, Technical Sergeant McAtamney reached the abandoned gun, poured lead into the Germans as they assaulted to within ten feet of him, cutting down five, killing or wounding them and driving the others off. Constantly the target of automatic weapons, and with hurtling shell fragments cutting about him, Technical Sergeant McAtamney seized the machine gun and displaced it to a better positions to prevent renewal of the assault. His gallant action without regard for the danger to which he was exposed, saved on of his guns from capture by the enemy, inflicted numerous casualties, and was a material factor in repulsing the attack. The heroism of Technical Sergeant McAtamney exemplifies the fighting traditions of the American Armed Forces.