The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant Max W. Holladay (ASN: 20504853), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, in silencing a machine gun that threatened to wipe out his entire patrol at New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 26 July 1943. Sent to capture two Japanese which had been sighted while he was on reconnaissance, he found it impossible to batter the stiff resistance of a reinforced enemy and ordered his patrol to withdraw. One of his men by this time was surrounded and pinned down by enemy machine gun fire. Although already wounded, Sergeant Holladay stood within fifty yards of the enemy and poured fire with a submachine gun into a hostile emplacement until it was temporarily silenced, and then moved to the patrol’s right flank to finish the job with hand grenades. An enemy grenade wounded him a second time but he continued to engage the enemy until the gun was out of action. Under protective fire from his weapon, the patrol was enabled to withdraw successfully. Sergeant Holladay’s extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 37th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.