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 Henry A. Hersh (ASN: 37704217), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 232d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 21 March 1945, near Fischbach, Germany. When the observation post he was manning came under heavy enemy machine gun fire, Sergeant Hersh dashed out and intentionally exposed himself in order to draw hostile fire and to determine the exact position of the German weapon. At great personal risk, the Sergeant moved among the rocks of the surrounding terrain until the enemy gun emplacement could be located and the information relayed to the supporting artillery, enabling it to bring its fire to bear upon and to silence the German machine gun. Sergeant Hersh’s courageous action is in keeping with the highest military tradition of the United States Army.