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 Lamoine E. Heiman (ASN: 36297648), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action near ****, France, on 23 and 24 November 1944. Sergeant Heiman volunteered as the leader of a four-man patrol which was to reconnoiter the approaches to the town of **** in preparation for an attack the following morning, determine where a stream on the outskirts of the town could be crossed and learn the disposition of enemy troops and material. The mission was undertaken during a driving rain and complete darkness and had to be accomplished during the few hours of the night when no friendly artillery was to be directed against the town of ****. Upon reaching the deep and swiftly moving stream, Sergeant Heiman discovered a bridge which had been demolished, so that only a twisted steel beam two feet under water spanned the stream. Sergeant Heiman traversed this beam, helped his comrades to cross the water by the same route and upon reaching the far bank continued into enemy territory where he found enemy tanks which had been dug-in and other hostile vehicles and troops. Carefully by-passing the German positions, the patrol entered **** and took up listening posts within fifteen to twenty-five yards of enemy vehicles and soldiers moving about in the streets. Just before our artillery recommenced its fire, Sergeant Heiman and his men left the town, retraced their steps while subjected to enemy shelling and informed their company commander of their findings. Under Sergeant Heiman’s guidance, the company then proceeded to the town, deployed in various buildings and on the following day succeeded in beating off determined enemy attacks and inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy without the loss of a single man. The aggressive leadership and resourcefulness of Sergeant Heiman were an invaluable contribution to the success of his unit’s mission and honor his character and training as a soldier.