The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant William A. Freed (ASN: 36029289), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, *** Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, in action in the vicinity of ****, France, on 24 November 1944. As Company A, *** Infantry Regiment, entered the town of ****, enemy tanks and other armored vehicles were observed approaching the town from theirhigh ground to the front. Sergeant Freed, a platoon sergeant, quickly deployed his men to cover the approaches to the town and personally took command of his platoon’s rocket launcher team. An enemy half-track vehicle was stopped by fire from the rocket launcher, whereupon Sergeant Freed ran to an exposed position and killed three of the occupants and wounded the fourth with rifle fire as they attempted to man their machine guns. An enemy tank which approached the platoon’s position was immobilized by rocket launcher fire and Sergeant Freed again exposed himself in order to fire into the tank turrets and vision slits, killing two Germans, wounding another and forcing the remaining crew members to surrender. Sergeant Freed’s gallant actions, initiative and utter disregard for personal safety were an inspiration to other members of his platoon and reflect credit upon his character as a soldier and upon the military service.