The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Jimmie Kanaya (ASN: 19020945), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as a Medical Aidman with the 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 34th Infantry Division, on 5 July 1944, in the vicinity of Castallina, Italy. When the Battalion to which Sergeant Kanaya was attached was subjected to an intense artillery and mortar barrage, nine men from one of the companies were seriously wounded. In spite of the concentrated machine gun fire, Sergeant Kanaya, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, crawled to the wounded soldiers and rapidly and effectively rendered first aid to them for a period of two and one-half hours until every man had been properly cared for. The extreme courage and devotion to his comrades displayed by Sergeant Kanaya was exemplary and a credit to himself and his organization.