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 Ernest R. Hecht (ASN: 36711517), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 242d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division. On 11 January 1945, at Hatten, France, Private Hecht volunteered to clear a passage to a barn in order to evacuate fifty men from a house which was subjected to heavy 88 mm and machine gun fire from an enemy tank. On leaving the building Private Hecht was met by a number of German soldiers, many of whom he killed and wounded and the remainder of whom fled, clearing the way for the escape from the building of our men.