The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Captain (Corps of Engineers), [then First Lieutenant] Freeman I. Howard, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Company A, 82nd Engineer Battalion, United States Forces, on 12 June 1963, near Darmstadt, Germany. While leading the Company in a convoy, Captain Howard witnessed an accident involving a five ton truck which had six men aboard and a trailer containing thousands of pounds of demolitions as it struck a bridge abutment and burst into flames. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he rushed to the burning truck, swiftly extinguished the fire in one man’s hair, pulled a second soldier away from the vehicle, and then put out the flames on a third man fleeing from the scene of the fire. Captain Howard then bravely returned to the flaming wreckage and evacuated a soldier who was trapped in the equipment of the truck. Through his courage and perseverance, he succeeded in extricating the man, and told him to a safe area. Captain Howard’s heroic action in this emergency is in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself in the military service. [This award supersedes award of the Army Commendation Medal for heroism on 12 June 1963, as announced in Journal Orders Number 35, Headquarters, VI I Corps, APO 107, dated 21 August 1963.]