The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Toshio Endo (ASN: 30105965), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 92d Infantry Division, on 8 April 1945, in Italy. When a platoon captured eight heavy mortars and secured a foothold on an enemy strongpoint, it was subjected to intense hostile machine gun fire. Unable to effectively engage the machine guns with small arms, Sergeant Endo obtained 40 rounds of captured mortar ammunition from a nearby building and fired them, sighting and firing himself. He silenced two enemy machine guns with the captured mortars. A few minutes later, under heavy hostile fire, Sergeant Endo obtained and fired another 40 rounds that turned back a counterattack spearheaded by a tank and half track. During the rest of the afternoon he repulsed two more armor spearheaded counterattacks, single-handedly firing 140 rounds throughout the action. His outstanding performance reflects great credit on the finest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.