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] Louis J. Silva (ASN: 32170920), United States Army, for gallantry in action in Italy from 24 January to 20 October 1944. Sergeant Silva repeatedly volunteered for painstaking and responsible duties which consisted of conducting agents across the most difficult terrain and under the most adverse weather conditions into German lines. In the pursuance of similar duties he spent 120 days under heavy shelling and bombing on the Anzio beachhead and was one of the first Americans to enter the cites of Leghorn and Florence of the day of their fall. On several occasions he was fired upon by German patrols in no man’s land, but by outstanding courage and ability he succeeded in avoiding capture. His skill, dependability, fidelity, and devotion to duty contributed to the success of Allied Intelligence Operations which materially helped the FIFTH Army’s advance on the Italian peninsula.