The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain (Corps of Engineers) Frederick W. Smee (ASN: 0-1103934), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of the *** Engineer Combat Battalion, XII Corps, in action against an armed enemy on 8 – 9 December 1944, in France. Captain Smee was assigned the mission of constructing a bridge over the Saare River after an initial assault by our Infantry forces. After making a personal reconnaissance of a bridging site Captain Smee discovered that it would be necessary to first bridge a demolished railroad overpass and a demolished bridge over a canal about 100 yards west of the river. Captain Smee personally led his men and equipment to the proposed sites and started operations at approximately 2300 hours. During the night, his unit removed rubble and prepared the railroad overpass by hand because the nearness of the enemy prevented using power equipment. Bridging operations started at 0500, and progressed until 0900 when sufficient light enabled the enemy to observe the activity. Intense machine gun and small arms fire forced Captain Smee to abandon construction temporarily. Three times during the course of bridging the overpass enemy fire was so heavy that operations had to be halted and the men seek shelter. It was only Captain Smee’s outstanding courage and leadership which inspired his officers and men to continue this important mission. Upon completion of this bridge captain Smee moved his equipment about four hundred yards down the river and supervised the construction of a foot bridge across the Saare River. The outstanding courage, initiative, and leadership displayed by Captain Smee reflect great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of the Military Service of the United States.