The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant James C. Woods (ASN: 20943939), United States Army, for gallantry in action at New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 31 July 1943. As an acting platoon leader he directed machine gun fire on enemy positions and then ran forward into an exposed area within twenty-five yards of Japanese guns where he assisted in the safe evacuation of a wounded comrade.