The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant [then Corporal] Arthur M. Hilgendorf, United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company F, 132d Infantry Regiment, 23d Infantry Division (Americal), in action at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 2 January 1943. During action to capture and hold a hill, five men were trapped in an exposed position and wounded by the enemy. Fire action designed to silence the enemy fire enabled the wounded men to dash from their exposed position, but two of them were wounded again and unable to continue alone. At this point Sergeant Hilgendorf, without regard for his personal safety, dashed up across the open ground and carried one of the wounded men down. Again he returned up the slope, but was wounded in the shoulder by enemy rifle fire. Despite this painful wound, he continued forward and brought down the second wounded man. Sergeant Hilgendorf’s courageous acts reflect great credit on himself and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.