The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Yoneo Takamoto (ASN: 39077314), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Battery B, 522d Field Artillery Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, in action against the enemy near La Houssiere, France, on 5 November 1944. Assigned the task of attacking and clearing a strongly held ridge, the company with which Corporal Takamoto was serving as assistant forward observer advanced against the enemy through heavy mortar, artillery, and machine gun fire. Upon observing that the forward observer and assistant radio operator had been wounded he left his place of comparative safety and determinedly worked his way to within 60 yards of the enemy, to evacuate the more seriously wounded of the two men. He then assumed command of the artillery forward observer party and continued to deliver artillery support in the advance of the infantry under continuous and concentrated hostile fire, until seriously wounded the following morning.