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 Donald N. Murdock, Jr. (ASN: 34800589), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 80th Infantry Division in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States on 8 October 1944 in France. When the company in which he served as a rifleman was temporarily delayed by machine gun fire from an enemy pillbox located on the outskirts of the town of Lixierres, France, on 8 October 1944, Private First Class Murdock, accompanied by another rifleman, crawled forward in spite of the heavy enemy fire to a position from where he threw a hand grenade at the pillbox. Under cover of the explosion he charged forward and took cover on the blind side of the pillbox and then, after hurling several additional grenades into the embrasures, he fired two clips of carbine ammunition into the pillbox attempting to kill the occupants by ricochets. At the close of this action one officer and three enlisted German soldiers surrendered to Private First Class Murdock. His courage, resourcefulness, and constant devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.