(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) George Gordon Wilson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 361st Infantry Regiment, 91st Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces at Istia, Italy, on 16 June 1944. First Lieutenant Wilson led he rifle platoon through a wooded area to the left of the town of Istia, under a concentration of mortar fire. Three German machinegun nests were along the north bank of the Ombrone River that covered all approaches to the town, and enemy automatic pistolmen and riflemen were located on the high ground at the bases of the buildings and in windows of the buildings along the river. When he reached the first building, he neutralized the first machine gun in a dugout on the edge of the river with a grenade, killing two machinegunners and causing the capture of three others. As the platoon entered the main street of Istia, heavy fire was received from a German machinegun located at the far end of the street, and another machine gun on the right flank of the town opened fire on the Americans. Again displaying excellent leadership and good judgment, First Lieutenant Wilson sent one squad to the right of the town to neutralize the machinegun in that direction, while he led another squad to neutralize the machine gun located at the fare end of the main street. As he was moving forward with his squad, the enemy laid down a concentration of 88-mm. fire on the town, scattering the squad. First Lieutenant Wilson, however, with four men, continued forward, moving from house to house until he reached the enemy machine gun. The first house he entered was under direct sniper fire from an upper story window of a house across the street. First Lieutenant Wilson stepped into the open, threw a hand grenade into the window from which the fire was coming, killing the sniper. The enemy attempted to bring reinforcement forward on the main street to hold the advance of the platoon, and from a position of vantage in an upper story window of the third house down the main street, First Lieutenant Wilson was able to observe the German reinforcements moving. He shot two of them and even though an 88-mm. shell came through the roof of the house and exploded in the room next to him, he refused to leave his window until he accounted three more. He then observed that a squad leader of the second platoon, moving up to assist him, was pinned down by sniper fire in the back of the house from which he was observing. First Lieutenant Wilson moved forward until he was able to locate the place from which the sniper fire was coming and waited until the sniper prepared to fire again. Although he could see only the right half of the sniper’s face, he fired his carbine, killing the enemy sniper. He then moved forward to the next house, from which he saw two Germans carrying a light machinegun into position to deliver fire on the squad he had sent to the right, and shot and killed these two men. He then moved forward to the next house, and while he was inside, Germans threw two hand grenades which caused severe concussions but no casualties. Moving to the first house on the street, from which he could observe the machine gun that had been firing down the main street, and crawled forward 25 yards along a very low hedge line until he was within hand grenade range of that machine gun. He threw two hand grenades and the machinegun was silenced and three enemy killed. As a result of First Lieutenant Wilson’s actions, the town was cleared of Germans, the Battalion’s right flank secured, and the organization continued an important advance. First Lieutenant Wilson’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 91st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.