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 Corporal John J. Monaghan (ASN: 36324950), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Battery, 5th Field Artillery Group, in action against the enemy in Germany on 4 December 1944. The telephone line connecting Corporal Monaghan’s Group Headquarters and a Division artillery headquarters was broken by heavy German artillery fire. Realizing the importance of this line to the successful conduct of fire missions, he voluntarily went out into the rain of enemy shells to assist in its repair and to ascertain the progress of a repair crew that had started out but had not been heard from. Detecting a break in the line, he stopped to repair it. Almost immediately, a barrage of shells and bullets beat the earth around him, and he dove for the shelter of a nearby tank ditch, pulling the wire after him. As the barrage continued, he realized that his wire repair vehicle was the target drawing the enemy fire, and that it was endangering an artillery emplacement nearby. Leaping from the protective cover of the ditch, he started to remove the vehicle. As he did so, a shell fragment hit his arm, almost severing it, and other shrapnel inflicted severe wounds on his body. His deep concern for the welfare and safety of his fellow soldiers, and his disregard of his own personal safety, provided an example of inspiring heroism and was a credit to the highest traditions of the Army of the United States.