The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant William E. Becker, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action when the U.S.S. LCI(L) 219 received a near miss from a bomb and sank on 11 June 1944 off the coast of Normandy, France. Though severely wounded, Lieutenant Becker, with complete disregard of his own conditions, rushed to the engine room which was afire and filled with heavy smoke, succeeded in supervising the extinguishing of fires and thereby prevented a greater loss of life. In addition to fighting fires, Lieutenant Becker rendered first aid to the many wounded and aided in maintaining a high degree of morale among the men. The action of Lieutenant Becker was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.