The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Raymond E. Little (ASN: 38112792), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 19 January 1945, near ****, Belgium. When the assault platoon was caught in the crossfire of two well displaced machine guns, Staff Sergeant Little leaped to his feet and seizing a light machine gun from a wounded comrade rushed to a position exposed to their fire, silenced one and rendered fire of the other inaccurate. He moved to the right flank and fired on a group of approximately thirty enemy riflemen that were attempting to cut off the platoon and forced them to flee, killing and wounding several. Staff Sergeant Little’s daring, single-handed attack repelled all the attacking enemy forces, saving the platoon from a very precarious position and reflects the highest credit upon himself and the American Parachute Forces.