The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technician Fourth Grade Arthur A. Mayo (ASN: 6553695), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 29 June 1944, at ****, France. Technician Fourth Grade Mayo, Patrol Leader, voluntarily led a night reconnaissance patrol into enemy territory to gain information of enemy positions and strength. After having penetrated the enemy lines several thousand yards, Technician Fourth Grade May’s patrol of two men was attacked by eighteen of the enemy. The two men accompanying him were wounded. Technician Fourth Grade Mayo, unhesitatingly, made his way through intense machine gun, rifle, and hand grenade fire to within six feet of the enemy who were in covered positions and proceeded to engage them with hand grenades. His two wounded men were thus able to escape to a position from which they could reach help. Only after drawing all enemy fire to himself, killing several of the enemy and having assured himself that his men were safe did he withdraw. This heroic act was in the high traditions of the Airborne Forces of the United States Army.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Technician Fourth Grade Arthur A. Mayo (ASN: 6553695), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action from 1 October to 3 October 1944, near ****, Holland. Technician Fourth Grade Mayo, Patrol Leader, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, displayed unusual courage and aggressiveness as a member of a contact patrol. At the 0100 hour on the morning of 2 October 1944 the enemy had launched a sharp attack against a key roadblock of the defensive sector and had driven a salient two hundred yards in depth between the 3d Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment on its left severing the contact between the two units. Technician Fourth Grade Mayo was a member of a contact patrol to skirt the enemy and make contact with the scattered flank elements of an adjacent unit. The route of a patrol was through a heavy enemy artillery concentration and part of the route was subject to enemy patrol activity. Several times they became engaged in close-in combat with enemy patrols, but despite the odds, inflicted several casualties on them and caused them to withdraw. As a result of their action the contact was reestablished, the enemy was cleared from the area, and the defensive sector remained intact. Technician Fourth Grade May’s perseverance, initiative and personal courage in this action were in keeping with the high traditions of the Airborne Forces of the United States Army.