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 John J. Moynihan (ASN: 31349608), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Anti-Tank Company, 222d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 24 April 1945, near Heidenheim, Germany. When an enemy plane strafed his company during the fighting near Heidenheim, Germany, Sergeant Moynihan, seeing a wounded soldier lying in the impact area of the attack, braved the deadly fire to carry the man to cover. He then ran to an anti-aircraft machine gun and concentrated a terrific volume of fire upon the strafing fighter. One of the tracers from the plane struck his helmet, but he continued to follow the German aircraft with his withering fire until it crashed, killing the pilot. Through his great daring, aggressive skill, and gallant devotion to duty, Sergeant Moynihan saved a comrade from further injury and prevented a German attempt to create havoc among our attacking troops from succeeding.