The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Technician Fourth Grade Joseph R. Simkewicz (ASN: 31025572), United States Army, for gallantry in action in northern France while serving with the Medical Detachment, 358th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. On 17 June 1944 Technician Fourth Grade Simkewicz was attached to an infantry unit for duty as a medical aid man. Near a village an adjacent company was held up by extremely accurate sniper and automatic weapons fire and was forced to withdraw. In the withdrawal, the wounded of this company could not be evacuated and were left before the German lines. Technician Fourth Grade Simkewicz, seeing that the adjacent company was without an aid man, left his position and comparative safety and gave aid to those wounded. While in the commission of this act he was killed in action.