The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Eugene A. Kay (ASN: 0-1323934), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action in the **** Sector, Normandy, France, on 17 July 1944. When his battalion was pinned down by heavy enemy machine gun fire, Lieutenant Kay, a platoon leader, crawled well forward, located the enemy positions and directed artillery fire on them, enabling the battalion to resume its advance a distance of some 3,500 yards to the division objective. Lieutenant Kay’s platoon was one of the first to reach the objective. While reconnoitering ahead of the new positions, he was killed by an enemy sniper. Lieutenant Kay’s courage, leadership and zealous devotion to duty reflects the highest credit upon his character as an officer and upon the military service.