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 [then Private] Robert K. Shafer (ASN: 39462029), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, First Battalion, First Regiment, First Special Service Force, in action against the enemy Near San Vittore, Italy, on 27 December 1943. When a man was missing from a combat patrol, Technician Fourth Grade Shafer volunteered to retrace the enemy-observed terrain to search for the missing comrade. The three-man rescue patrol set out in daylight ours and upon reaching the friendly outpost line learned that the proposed searching area was under constant enemy observation who fired at everything that moved. With the welfare of his comrade uppermost in his thoughts, Technician Fourth Grade Shafer led his patrol forward and by carefully searching the area finally located the missing man in a seriously wounded condition. Reconnoitering a route of an approach for a litter team through the enemy lines because all other approaches ere impossible to safely traverse, Technician Fourth Grade Shafer led a litter team to the wounded man’s location and successfully evacuated his comrade. The actions of Technician Fourth Grade Shafer in saving the life of another at a great risk to his own reflects great credit upon himself and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Military Service.