The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant [then Private First Class] Howard G. Nichols (ASN: 88446359), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action in the **** Sector, Normandy, France, on 13 July 1944. Upon learning that a wounded soldier had been left in a disabled tank in an area from which troops had withdrawn to allow an artillery barrage to fall, and that two other seriously wounded men were near the tank, Sergeant Nichols, without regard for his own personal safety, and realizing that the artillery barrage was about to fall, accompanied by another soldier, crawled to the wounded men and removed them to a place of safety. The courage, initiative, and unselfish devotion to his comrades displayed by Sergeant Nichols on this occasion was directly responsible for saving the lives of three wounded men, reflecting the highest credit upon his character as a soldier, and is in accordance with the highest traditions of the military service.