The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Ward Talcott (ASN: 0-1325117), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 320th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, in action in the **** Sector, Normandy, France, 13 July 1944. In the hedgerow fighting about ****, the point of lead infantry moving forward to strengthen a lightly-held position threatened by enemy infiltration, was subjected to intense enemy machine gun fire from a group of buildings. Lieutenant Talcott voluntarily led a reinforced squad around the flank of the buildings in an attempt to destroy the enemy guns, but while crossing hedgerows to reach his objective, other enemy machine guns opened fire, as a result of which he was mortally wounded. Lieutenant Talcott’s inspiring courage and initiative are in accord with the military traditions of the United States.