The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Colonel (Infantry) Robert Lynn Bacon (ASN: 0-8657), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as Commanding Officer of the 359th Infantry Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division. On 16 August 1944 while the infantry of his Regiment was fighting in the town of ****, France, the enemy delivered a strong double envelopment around the right flank using infantry and tanks. Colonel Bacon, learning of the situation, went forward personally and seeing the envelopment would cut off his leading Battalion, having no formed troops ready to meet the envelopment and while the area was under heavy artillery and small arms fire, he personally gathered together rear elements of this battalion, engineers, and a part of his Regimental CP, quickly organized them into a unit and personally led the attack of this provisional unit against the enemy envelopment, driving them back and securing the road leading into **** from the east. This prevented the cutting off of his leading battalion which was then heavily engaged in the town. Colonel Bacon’s disregard for his own personal safety and leadership of the improvised force against a serious enemy counterthrust effectively forestalled it. It set a fine example of leadership to the officers and men of his regiment and is in keeping with the highest standards of the military spirit.