The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant [then Private First Class] Bernard F. Duffy (ASN: 42053117), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action near ****, Belgium, on 11 January 1945. Disregarding withering enemy machine gun fire which had pinned down his squad in an open field, Sergeant Duffy crawled forward to reach a wounded comrade, carried him to a building in the rear, and dressed his wounds. He then returned to the exposed area and evacuated another soldier, saving him from almost certain death. Sergeant Duffy’s intrepid loyalty to wounded comrades is in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Army.
Sponsored by:
Awards Received
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Silver Star
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Silver Star
Service:
United States ArmyRank:
SergeantDivision:
35th Infantry DivisionAction Date:
February 23, 1945
Headquarters, 35th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 18 (March 16, 1945)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 Sergeant Bernard F. Duffy (ASN: 42053117), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action near ****, Germany, on 23 February 1945. When his unit’s attack was checked by enemy automatic weapons fire, Sergeant Duffy, an assistant squad leader, borrowed a bazooka, crawled forward, raised to his knees, fired four rounds and routed the enemy from entrenched positions. Later in the day, he braved enemy mortar fire to carry a fellow soldier suffering from shock to safety. His courage, initiative, disregard for personal safety and devotion to duty reflect high credit upon his character and training as a soldier.