The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Henry Q. Shimmin (ASN: 36691432), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 3 January 1945, while serving with Company I, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in the vicinity of Goetzenbruck, France. When an enemy force of 70 infantrymen launched a surprise attack against the outpost manned by his machine gun squad, Sergeant Shimmin rallied his men and repelled the strong assault. After the enemy, in a second attack, had infiltrated through the area on the left of the outpost and had subjected his position to heavy small arms fire from the rear and flank, Sergeant Shimmin refused repeated demands to surrender and inspired his men to make a determined stand in the face of heavy odds. Although hostile soldiers succeeded in entering the cellar of the house and fired up through the floor and stairway, he braved the small arms fire to direct the defense of the position and, though stunned by the concussion of a bursting grenade, he threw a hand grenade which killed a German who was setting up a machine gun in front of the outpost. Under Sergeant Shimmin’s gallant and aggressive leadership, his men withstood the full force of the fierce enemy attack for two hours, determinedly holding the position until help arrived.