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 Second Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Loren B. Wills, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Staff and Faculty Battery, United States Army Artillery and Missile School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on 21 February 1966, for his effort in rescuing a stranded amateur mountain climber. Lieutenant Wills voluntarily risked his life to rescue a young boy from an in-accessible mountain ledge in the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Without thought for his own safety, Lieutenant Wills went to the aid of the 17-year-old boy, who had been stranded for 18 hours, by making a dangerous climb up Elk Mountain, rappelling to the boy and lowering him to safety. Hazards of the rescue effort were greatly increased by sub-freezing temperatures, the area covered with ice and snow, and winds gusting to 30 knots. Unable to use normal safety climbing procedures, Lieutenant Wills had to rappel to the freezing boy, knowing that he might fall several hundred feet to certain death. Lieutenant Wills’ heroic conduct is in the highest tradition of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself and the military service. [This award supersedes the Army Commendation Middle awarded to Lieutenant Wills for heroism on 21 February 1966, as announced in General Orders Number 129, Headquarters, U.S. Army Artillery and Missile Center, Fort sill, Oklahoma, dated 18 July 1966.]