The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Foster D. Arnett, United States Army, for gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division, near Mahoag, Leyte, Philippine Islands, on 12 December 1944. When the force of an enemy banzai attack overran a portion of the battalion defensive perimeter, within which the regimental staff was located, and caused a platoon of men to withdraw to the perimeter seeking more tenable positions, Lieutenant Arnett, although a regimental staff officer with no command responsibilities, perceived immediately that the enemy penetration endangered the entire battalion position. Leaving the relative security of his fox hole, he ran forward to a position in front of the withdrawing platoon. Standing bolt upright, totally exposed, and with utter disregard for the heavy enemy fire all around him, he rallied the platoon with his inspiring display of personal courage and, although receiving serious wounds which later necessitated his evacuation to the United States, led the men in a counterattack which succeeded in re-taking the platoon’s position and killing approximately twenty enemy soldiers.