The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant J. D. Matthews (ASN: 34207504), United States Army, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with the 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division, on 22 November 1944 in France. During the assault on the town of Henridorff, Sergeant Matthews’ squad had the mission of attacking a building at the foot of a hill on the edge of the town. The building constituted a key enemy strongpoint and the squad came under intense machine gun and small arms fire as it worked its way forward. Disposing his men in the cover of a ditch Sergeant Matthew, with total disregard for his own safety, dashed across 25 yards of open ground directly into the building entrance, firing a rifle from the hip as he went. He killed an enemy officer who was just in the act of hurling a grenade and drove the remaining enemy defenders out of another entrance where they were taken prisoner. The indomitable courage and gallant leadership displayed by Sergeant Matthews reflect highest credit on himself and the armed forces of the United States.