The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technician Fifth Grade [then Private First Class] Clayton A. Crowder (ASN: 35770124), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters, Special Troops, 37th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy at Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 26 January 1945. At Angeles, Technician Fifth Grade Crowder was serving as a Medical Aidman with a spearheading Armored Patrol when it became engaged in a fire fight with an enemy force defending a road block. Observing an Allied soldier hit and seriously wounded by enemy shell fragments, Technician Fifth Grade Crowder, with complete disregard for his personal safety, dashed fifty yards through intense enemy automatic and small arms fire to the wounded man, who was lying exposed to hostile fire, and dragged him to a position of temporary safety. He administered first aid and then again exposed himself to enemy fire, in order to carry the casualty to the safety of an armored vehicle for evacuation to a hospital. Technician Fifth Grade Crowder’s courageous act, at the risk of his own life, was responsible for saving the life of an Allied soldier. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Technician Fifth Grade Crowder, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.