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 [then Private First Class] Louis S. Placzek (ASN: 32595316), United States Army, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division, in action on Leyte, Philippine Islands, and Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, on 5 January 1945 an on 17 May 1945. On 5 January 1945, Sergeant Placzek was a member of a patrol engaged in mopping up operations. As the patrol moved through dense growth and muddy rice paddies, it suddenly encountered a group of approximately seventy enemy soldiers armed with rifles and heavy machine guns. With complete disregard for his own safety Sergeant Placzek, an automatic rifleman, exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reach a position from which he could place effective flanking fire on the enemy, His fire killed fifty-three Japanese soldiers. Again near Shiri, Okinawa, on 17 May 1945, his company was attacking “Flat Top Hill” in the face of extremely heavy enemy machine gun and artillery fire. Sergeant Placzek took command when his squad leader became a casualty and quickly reorganized his squad. He led three determined attacks against the numerically superior enemy forces and, after hand-to-hand combat, succeeded in penetrating their position before he was wounded. The courage and determination which characterized Sergeant Placzek’s performance of duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the Military Forces of the United States.