The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Sergeant [then Staff Sergeant] Leroy W. Hirst (ASN: 32265020), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company B, 692d Tank Destroyer Battalion, 42d Infantry Division, in action on 9 April 1945, near Everbach, Germany. Sergeant Hirst, a Platoon Sergeant, was advancing with his tank destroyers to assist Infantry held up by heavy enemy fire when the leading destroyer of the platoon was hit and set afire by a Panzerfaust. Leaping from his destroyer, which was the last in the column, Sergeant Hirst rushed forward under intense machine gun fire, climbed into the burning destroyer and extricated the platoon leader and two crew members who had been wounded. He then led the remaining destroyers in an attack on the town. His courage and devotion to duty resulted in the destruction of an enemy tank, two 88-mm. guns and two anti-aircraft guns.