The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Curtis E. Taylor, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force while serving with the *** Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division. On 10 July 1944, near *****, Italy, Second Lieutenant Taylor exhibited outstanding heroism above and beyond the call of duty. With two squads, he was given the mission of attacking and holding a ridge, seven hundred yards to the north. The enemy opened up with heavy machine guns, firing frontal and flanking fire as the squads approached to within four hundred yards of the objective. Second Lieutenant Taylor sent one squad to the left flank to provide a base of fire, while he led the other squad in a frontal assault on the hill. Two enemy machine gun nests, firing at point blank range, killed four members of his squad. Disregarding this murderous fire, Second Lieutenant Taylor led his men with such aggressiveness that they captured their objective, and killed seven enemy soldiers manning the two machine gun nests. As the squads were low on ammunition, and seeing the enemy preparing to counterattack, Second Lieutenant Taylor ordered his men to withdraw to our lines, while he remained behind to cover their withdrawal. With utter disregard for his own life, he purposely exposed himself in order to draw the enemy fire. Fighting the enemy single-handedly, Second Lieutenant Taylor personally killed our of the enemy with his carbine. Only when he was certain that his men had reached the safety of a ridge to the rear, did he abandon his position. The magnificent courage, superb initiative and intrepid leadership displayed by Second Lieutenant Taylor was an inspiration to the offices and men who serve with him.