The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) John R. Smith (ASN: 0-551740), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 242d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 9 – 11 January 1945 at Hatten, France. Lieutenant Smith was commanding officer of the Anti-Tank Platoon of Headquarters Company, First Battalion, 242d Infantry Regiment at Hatten on 10 January 1945 when a German Panther Tank was inflicting heavy casualties on our troops. Lieutenant Smith immediately assembled a rocket launcher team and guided the group to a barn in the rear of the command post from where they could bring fire on the tanks. While organizing the deployment of the rocket launcher team, Lieutenant Smith was wounded by fragments from an 88-mm. gun. In spite of his wounds, Lieutenant Smith remained in position and in the face of heavy fire from enemy self-propelled artillery, automatic weapons, and small arms directed the withdrawal of the rocket launcher team from the barn and the following morning organized the withdrawal of the remainder of the men in the town and guided them through the enemy lines to safety.