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 [then Staff Sergeant] Sam Sacco (ASN: 39532642), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving Tail Gunner of a B-17 Flying Fortress Bomber of the 337th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy), EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial operations on 22 June 1943. Technical Sergeant Sacco was severely wounded while shooting down an attacking enemy fighter. Weak from loss of blood and oxygen, he crawled to the waist for first aid. Instead of remaining there for further treatment, he insisted upon returning to the tail, upon which undefended section the enemy had begun a concentrated attack. Manning the one remaining tail gun on his badly crippled airplane, Sergeant Sacco, again badly wounded, shot down three more enemy fighters for a total of four, and remained until ordered to bail out. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Technical Sergeant Sacco, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.