The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel William C. Mahoney (ASN: 0-23486), United States Army, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with the 49th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade, on 6 June 1944, in France. Lieutenant Colonel Mahoney landed on D-Day and crossed the beach with complete disregard for his personal safety to supervise the disposition of the units of the Brigade in their secondary role. He directed fire on ground installations in support of assault infantry of the 16th and 18th Combat Teams of the 1st Division which culminated in the successful clearance of the heights commanding the beach. Observing that six half tracks had been abandoned on an LST and were under heavy enemy fire, Lieutenant Colonel Mahoney recruited six men to clear the half tracks from the LST. In the process, Lieutenant Colonel Mahoney was seriously wounded, but exemplifying coolness and aggressiveness, continued to fulfill his mission until evacuated to the United Kingdom later in the day.