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 Clarence P. Strean (ASN: 34812224), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 145th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy in the Philippine Islands, on 20 July 1945. Staff Sergeant Rudolph Hale, Corporal Macon H. Montgomery, and Private First Class Clarence P. Strean, were members of a squad which was supporting a detachment of engineers who were building a road through a defile near Baggao, when the party suddenly received enemy machine gun, rifle, and mortar fire from both the flanks and front. After the squad had taken cover it was discovered that four men were missing. The above named men volunteered to search the area for the missing men. They crawled back under the heavy hostile fire, located three of the men, and led them back to safety. Then, returning to the danger area to search for the other man, they courageously crawled over a ridge and through a draw, continually exposing themselves to Japanese automatic and rifle fire, and finally located the fourth man who had been seriously wounded. Then, while Private First Class Strean remained behind to place covering fire on the hostile positions, Staff Sergeant hale and Corporal Montgomery carried the wounded man 125 yards to a position where medical aid could be administered. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Private First Class Strean, 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.