The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to First Sergeant Edgar McCoury (ASN: 6950583), United States Army, for heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy of the United States as a member of the 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. While traveling north in a turn quarter-ton 4×4 on the evening of 24 June 1944 in the Normandy area the vehicle in which First Sergeant McCoury was a passenger collided with a motorcycle as it rounded a curve on the left side of the road. The driver of the motorcycle was thrown into a ditch with his clothes ignited from the busted gasoline tank of his vehicle. Sergeant McCoury ran to the aid of the burning and injured man, telling him to lie down while he smothered the flames, but the motorcyclist became frightened and confused and ran away, causing his clothing to burn even faster. Sergeant McCoury tackled him, took off his own field jacket and succeeded in smothering the flames, thereby saving his life. Sergeant McCoury sustained a severe burn in this action.