The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major (Coast Artillery Corps) Wilson H. Birch (ASN: 0-315029), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 431st Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 30 December 1944 near Soltz-les-Forest, France. When twelve enemy aircraft attacked the battalion headquarters, Major Birch, Executive Officer, went to the aid of a seriously wounded officer and carried him to a covered position. He then returned while the bombing and strafing continued, and took charge of the personnel including the wounded. Discovering a truck loaded with explosives burning near the headquarters, he carried several bodies from the vehicle and, despite the imminent danger of an explosion, started to remove the explosives but was driven off by intense heat. He and others under his direction then removed all wounded from the area before the truck exploded. His courage and devotion to duty saved the lives of many wounded men.