The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, 20 July 1942, takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Captain (Chaplain) Masao Yamada (ASN: 0-521875), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performances of outstanding services as Chaplain, 442d Regimental Combat Team, from 30 May 1944 to 8 May 1945 in Italy and France. On 28 June 1944, while the battle for Sasseta, Italy and the surrounding ground was still raging, Chaplain Yamada directed and assisted two litter squads in evacuating the wounded amid rifle and machine gun fire and bursting mortar shells. Chaplain Yamada had consistently volunteered to retrieve the bodies of men killed in action. The work, an arduous and a dangerous one, greatly facilitated identification and burial. On 1 September 1944, while removing a body near Florence, Italy, Chaplain Yamada’s jeep struck a mine, killing an officer instantly and wounding the other three occupants. Although suffering from wounds, Chaplain Yamada administered first aid to the wounded, commandeered a bicycle and went for medical aid. Chaplain Yamada has maintained a constant vigil at the Battalion Aid Station, consoling the wounded, fulfilling requests and administering the last rites to the mortally wounded, working for days without rest when casualties were heavy. Through information gathered from the wounded as to the casualties, both wounded and killed, Chaplain Yamada frequently set out for the frontlines to direct and aid in the evacuation. His devotion to duty and to the soldiers in his charge, in spite of adverse battle conditions and unfavorable terrain, reflect much credit upon himself and the Chaplains’ Corps of the United States Army.