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 E. Johnson (ASN: 20904634), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 232d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division. On 16 March 1945, near Reipertswiller, France when one of his men located a mortar position over the top of a hill, while his company was setting up security positions for the night after having taken Hills 301, 335, and 346, Sergeant Johnson fired two rounds at the position from a rocket launcher, driving out two Germans who were killed by one of the BAR men of his company. Armed only with a pistol and a hand grenade, he then ran down the hill toward the mortar emplacement. Throwing a hand grenade at the position, Sergeant Johnson drove out a German officer and two enlisted men, one of whom was killed and the officer and the other man captured. His courageous act was responsible for the destruction of the mortar and other weapons at the position, the killing of three Germans, and the capture of a German officer and an enlisted man.