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) Lon Peyton (ASN: 0-1323754), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company C, 267th Special Reconnaissance Battalion (Separate), in action near Salonika, Greece, on 9 September 1944. Lieutenant Peyton was in command of a raiding party charged with the mission of destroying seven bridges on the Athens-Salonika Railroad. Before the bridges could be destroyed, a successful attack against a billet housing the enemy guarding these bridges had to be launched. Because of barbed wire and mines the only approach to the billet was along the track. First Lieutenant Peyton asked four volunteers to rush with him down the track, surprise the enemy and attack the billet. The attack started on signal and First Lieutenant Peyton and his four men ran at top speed down the track. As he neared the billet, two Germans rushed out to man the defenses but were shot down. After approaching the billet he helped destroy the enemy within, using grenades and machine gun fire, killing all seven occupants. The mission was a success and all bridges were destroyed.