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 Richard T. Yorita (ASN: 30105218), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company F, 2d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 92d Infantry Division, on 8 April 1945, in Italy. Private First Class Yorita, gunner in a light machine gun section, decided to better his position so as to get a clearer field of fire and observation on enemy emplacements. Disregarding the raking machine gun fire which swept the terrain about him, he dashed from cover to within 30 yards with his machine gun to an abandoned foxhole. He set up his gun for action and with the first burst of his weapon he drew the fire of the hostile machine gun. Disregarding the fire, he dueled with the hostile gunner for five minutes until he had knocked out the hostile weapon. In the meantime, he had drawn the fire of another machine gun and he immediately turned his weapon on the new emplacement and engaged it while exposed waist-high from his foxhole. He silenced this weapon by killing the two occupants with well-aimed fire. Private First Class Yorita’s courage and willingness to engage the foe exemplified the highest gallantry of the American Soldier.