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 Oreste F. Bottari (ASN: 36038590), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 15 July 1944, while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, near ****, Normandy, France. In the action on Hill Number 122, in the operation against ****, Sergeant Bottari’s platoon was pinned down by enemy machine gun fire from a hedgerow to its front. Sergeant Bottari, a squad leader, voluntarily crossed an open field to the enemy positions and destroyed the enemy machine gun position with a hand grenade. While crawling back to rejoin his squad, he was killed by an enemy artillery shell. The silencing of the enemy machine gun by Sergeant Bottari enabled the platoon to advance. The gallantry in action, disregard for personal safety and the unselfish loyalty for his comrades as displayed by Sergeant Bottari, reflects credit upon the military service of the United States.