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 Hiroshi F. Sawada (ASN: 39379943), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company C, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 34th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 26 August 1944, in the vicinity of Pisa, Italy. Private First Class Sawada volunteered to act as lead scout for a four-man patrol assigned the mission of reconnoitering the Southern Arno River bank. The night was dark and very quiet. While moving through a sparse vineyard, he suddenly motioned his comrades to stop. He then advanced ten yards with his patrol leader. At this point they heard an enemy patrol advancing toward them. He held his fire until his patrol was observed by the enemy. Then, as the enemy patrol prepared to take up positions, he opened fire. In the resulting skirmish, the entire enemy patrol of seven men was either killed or wounded. Soon, six or seven enemy machine guns, attracted by the firefight, swept the field with grazing fire. When the patrol was ordered to withdraw, Private First Class Sawada remained behind to cover their movement with his fire. He silenced one automatic weapon on his right flank, then engaged another. Only after the patrol had reached a covered position did he join his comrades. The determined aggressiveness, courage and initiative displayed by Private First Class Sawada enabled his patrol to withdraw without suffering a single casualty.