The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Markley Morris (ASN: 33596650), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 3 December 1943, in Italy. When the enemy counter-attacked and re-captured a part of the hill they were one, Private First Class Morris and a comrade crawled through heavy fire to a point where the forward CP had been located before the enemy attack. Here they found the communication line to the rear unbroken and they immediately called the Battalion S-2 and informed him of the peril of the Battalion’s positions. Reinforcements and ammunition were then rushed up. As wounded and dazed soldiers stumbled down from the crest of the hill, Private First Class Morris and the other man crawled to their comrades and under the severe hostile fire, dressed their wounds and directed them to the aid station. When several men started down the hill, disorganized by the loss of all their officers and non-commissioned officers, Private First Class Morris and his comrade rallied them and built a defensive line around the position of the former CP. With this line and the aid of a platoon of reinforcements, the enemy counterattack stopped. The initiative and courage displayed by Private First Class Morris helped to prevent a deep penetration of our lines, and his actions were exemplary and worthy of highest praise.