The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant [then Private] Charley DeVisser (ASN: 37695558), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 319th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States on 9 February 1945 in Germany. On that date, during an assault into the Siegfried Line in Germany, Sergeant DeVisser, as a member of a squad which was attempting to destroy an enemy held pillbox, voluntarily placed the charges a the entrance and prepared the fuses despite the enemy fire to which he was exposed. After two attempts at igniting the charge had failed Sergeant DeVisser convinced the occupants that they should surrender and as a gesture of good faith he discarded his weapons and exposed himself unarmed. Three officers and sixteen men surrendered to him. Sergeant DeVisser’s courage, initiative, and sincere devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.