The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant [then Sergeant] Marion L. Vaughn (ASN: 39215337), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company A, 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 6 December 1944 in the vicinity of *****, Germany. His platoon having been halted by intense enemy artillery, mortar and small arms fire, Sergeant Vaughn went forward alone to locate the enemy strong point. Creeping to a vantage point, he destroyed a machine gun nest with a hand grenade. Under enemy rifle fire, he maneuvered his platoon forward and while so doing noticed the enemy riflemen and silenced their fire with a rifle grenade. Sergeant Vaughn’s demonstration of leadership and courage were a source of inspiration to his men and aided materially in the capture of the platoon’s objective.