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 Jack S. Sakamoto (ASN: 30102608), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company G, 2d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 34th Infantry Division, on 4 July 1944, in the vicinity of Castellina, Italy. When an enemy machine gun from the right flank held up the advance of an assault platoon, Private First Class Sakamoto on his own initiative, carried his rifle and a grenade launcher and crept up to a point within 25 yards of the gun. Unable to fire from his concealed position, he stood up in the open in clear view of the enemy to fire his grenade at the nest, scoring a direct hit. This resulted in two enemy dead and the enemy machine gun neutralized. Then, with the mission of preventing enemy infiltration through the lines, Private First Class Sakamoto fired five grenades at the enemy causing them to withdraw from the platoon front. In need of more grenades he ran back to the supporting platoon through heavy enemy fire and secured additional grenades. Returning, he became engaged in a fire fight with a machine pistol firing from the left flank. While so engaged he was seriously wounded by a mortar shell fragment. The courageous efforts of Private First Class Sakamoto led to the company’s successful occupation of the hill and prevented probable heavy casualties.