The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Claude Morris Howard (ASN: 09-19464), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 24 April 1945, while serving with the 351st Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division, in the vicinity of Caselle, Italy. The 1st Battalion was attacking north toward Caselle, Italy, astride a road. Colonel Howard joined the company commander of Company A which was advancing on the right flank with one medium tank attached. As the battalion approached the town, two enemy self-propelled guns opened fire on the tank. Colonel Howard immediately exposed himself to the fire of these self-propelled guns, ran to the tank commander and directed his fire so effectively that the two vehicles were quickly knocked out. Colonel Howard immediately ordered Company A to resume the attack. As the company moved forward, another German self-propelled gun began firing, but was also knocked out by our tank. Sensing that the town was held in unusual enemy strength, Colonel Howard went forward with two men to make a personal reconnaissance. As he reached the nearest building, Colonel Howard surprised four armed Germans and took them prisoner. At this time a force of Germans on his right flank began pouring a heavy volume of machine gun fire on his small party and a fourth self-propelled gun began shooting at the tank. Sending a runner back for reinforcements to join him, Colonel Howard led them through intense machine gun fire in a flanking attack on the German force which completely routed this center of enemy resistance. Three offers were among the twenty-six prisoners taken. Colonel Howard then placed two snipers in position to protect his foothold in the town, and he directed their fire which quickly knocked out a German mortar crew and destroyed the weapon. As soon as the remainder of Company A had joined him, Colonel Howard led them in a brilliant attack through machine gun and rifle fire that completely cleared the town. Through his gallant, aggressive leadership, eighty-two Germans were captured, fifteen were killed, four self-propelled guns and a heavy mortar were knocked out, and a strong German delay point was overwhelmed within an hour. Colonel Howard’s aggressive conduct during this attack in the face of intense enemy fire is a fine example to his fellow officers and men.