The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant [then Sergeant] Woodrow Rucker (ASN : 34369540), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 10 August 1944, in France. While attempting to cross a road, Technical Sergeant Rucker’s unit met a heavy concentration of enemy machine gun fire, which killed two men and wounded others. Technical Sergeant Rucker unhesitatingly crawled twenty-five yards under this intense enemy fire to set up his observation post. Within five minutes he had successfully zeroed his three mortar squads one enemy installations. He then directed fire which killed five of the enemy, eliminated two machine guns and caused the remaining enemy to withdraw. Technical Sergeant Rucker’s gallant actions allowed his unit to proceed and quickly attain its objective. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Technical Sergeant Rucker, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.