The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Donald Taggart, United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the First Army, in action near Neuendorf, Germany, on 4 January 1945. When an enemy machine gun forced his platoon to cover, Private First Class Taggart immediately volunteered to silence the gun. He crawled forward under hostile fire, through a booby-trapped wood to a point near the machine gun nest. Throwing a hand grenade into the emplacement, he destroyed the gun and killed two Germans, and effected the capture of two others. Thus his platoon was enable dto continue its advance upon its objective. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Private First Class Taggart, 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.