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 James W. Neal (ASN: 35727709), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, in action at Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 5 February, 1945. During a fire fight Private Neal learned that several seriously wounded men lay on the other side of a bridge which was being sprayed by enemy machine gun fire. Moving rapidly across the bridge and down a street littered with wreckage he lifted the casualty onto his shoulders and carried him to safety. Private Neal went back across the bridge twice more and rescued wounded men, although subjected to constant enemy rifle and machine gun fire. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, 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.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant James W. Neal (ASN: 35727709), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy at Luzon, Philippine Islands. During an attack against a hill near Irisan on 21 April 1945, two soldiers were seriously wounded and lay in an exposed position. Sergeants Obie Catron and James Neal, in spite of the intense enemy fire, immediately ran to the wounded men, picked up one of them and carried him to cover. They then returned to the other casualty and carried him to the same covered position. Discovering that the first man had died in the interim, Sergeants Catron and Neal carried the second casualty 100 yards down the hill under heavy hostile fire to the battalion aid station. Their gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for their own lives, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon themselves and the United States Army.