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 John C. Polke (ASN: 38687856), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters, 3d Battalion, 222d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 18 February 1945 near Althorn, France. Private Polke was serving as a scout of a reconnaissance patrol on 18 February 1945, when he noticed a German in a foxhole thirty feet to his front. While the other members of the patrol halted and observed the position, Private Polke crawled forward through a concertina double-apron barbed wire fence to within fifteen feet of the foxhole and threw a hand grenade into it. As three Germans came running out, Private Polke threw another grenade and, with the help of the other members of the patrol, fired upon and killed all three of the enemy. Rushing the foxhole, he found a German soldier with a machine gun and a large number of grenades. With the help of his patrol leader, Private Polke dragged the German out of the hole, threw him over the barbed wire fence and, in spite of his resistance, dragged him back to our lines. Private Polke’s alert scouting enabled the patrol to approach the position without detection and his courageous and aggressive action was largely responsible for three enemy casualties and for the first prisoner captured by the Division since its commitment to action as such.