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 Private First Class Virgil J. Tangborn, United States Army, for gallantry in action in northern France while serving with the 90th Infantry Division. On 14 June 1944 the field in which an artillery ammunition dump was located was heavily shelled. The ammunition dump was set on fire and during the ensuing explosions, Private First Class Tangborn, seeing a wounded soldier trapped in a burning truck which was filled with exploding ammunition, hurried to the truck accompanied by two other enlisted men to affect the rescue of the wounded man. At that point Private First Class Tangborn was mortally wounded by enemy shell fire.