The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Archie A. Niemi (ASN: 39194775), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 16 April 1945, while serving with Company K, 350th Infantry Regiment< 88th Infantry Division, near La Torre, Italy. Company K, in an attempt to seize the strongly fortified high ground leading to Monterumici, Italy, had suffered heavily from the machine gun and rifle fire and mortar and artillery barrages. Mines and snipers added to the toll of the killed and wounded. Sergeant Niemi realized the danger of the situation and bravely volunteered to lead the seven men left in his squad in spite of the danger involved. Despite the continuous fire and although under enemy observation, Sergeant Niemi skillfully led his men to the high ground but the enemy suddenly opened up with a terrifying hail of machine gun and machine pistol fire. Rifle and sniper fire made further movement suicidal. Calling on his men to cover him, Sergeant Niemi boldly dashed to a shell hole, and with accurate fire, killed a sniper firing from the left flank. Moving relentlessly forward through a never ending stream of machine gun fire, Sergeant Niemi reached a point within thirty yards of an enemy gun and calmly hurled two hand grenades, wiping out the machine gun nest, killing one of the gunners and forcing the others to retreat. A sudden mortar barrage wounded three of his men, when a machine pistol killed another, Sergeant Niemi heedlessly exposed himself, crawled towards the new threat and, with deliberate aim, eliminated this enemy obstacle. Bravely rallying the three men in his squad, Sergeant Niemi continued to move forward. When the last man in his squad was wounded, and Sergeant Niemi could no longer bring effective fire on the enemy, he carried the wounded man to safety and courageously returned to further assist in the attack on the strongly entrenched enemy. The superb leadership and magnificent bravery of Sergeant Niemi was an inspiration to all who witnessed this action and exemplifies the great traditions of the American soldier.