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 Staff Sergeant Buddy Y. Kagawa (ASN: 30104923), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 36th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 28 October 1944, near Biffontaine, France. Attacking along a heavily wooded ridge, Staff Sergeant Kagawa proceeded ahead of his squad to clear German Flanking positions which had stopped his platoon. Grabbing an automatic rifle, he sprinted from tree to tree through murderous mortar, artillery and sniper fire, killing two enemy snipers and routing two others. Then, exposing himself to direct machine gun fire, he exchanged several bursts, destroying the emplacement and killing the gunner. Having cleared the flank, Staff Sergeant Kagawa ordered his squad forward and stood guard in an exposed position while his men prepared dug-in positions. Staff Sergeant Kagawa was seriously wounded during an artillery barrage, but remained on guard until all his men had taken cover. The courage and fighting spirit of Staff Sergeant Kagawa were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the finest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Buddy Y. Kagawa (ASN: 30104923), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 34th Infantry Division, near Luciana, Italy, on 16 and 17 July 1944. As a squad leader of a rifle company of the 442d Regimental Combat Team, Staff Sergeant Kagawa led his men in a company attack on the town of Luciana, Italy. When a strong enemy mortar, artillery and machine gun fire suddenly cut off platoon communications to the Company Command Post, Staff Sergeant Kagawa, realizing the seriousness of the situation, rushed fifty yards through the intense enemy fire and crawled the remaining forty yards to the command post. Reporting the situation, he obtained vital fire support which enabled his platoon to withdraw safely and reorganize. The following day, his company again resumed its attack on the town. Meeting fanatic resistance as his men entered the town, Staff Sergeant Kagawa, without regard for his own safety, exposed himself in order to locate the machine gun emplacement that was delaying his squad’s advance. Aggressively leading his men, he rushed toward the building in which the machine gun nest was located, hurled grenades and directed effective fire upon the enemy, and succeeded in destroying the position. A second machine gun nest opened fire from a nearby house, and, accompanied by one of his men, he advanced toward the emplacement firing continuously. Although wounded, he led his men in a ferocious assault of the position, capturing the gun and seven hostile troops, sustaining a second wound in this encounter. Staff Sergeant Kagawa’s aggressive leadership and inspiring courage resulting in the taking of two machine gun positions and the capture of seven prisoners were in keeping with the finest traditions of the American Infantryman.