The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry), [then Second Lieutenant] Edward A. Thayer, Jr. (ASN: 0538140), United States Army, for gallantry in action at ****, Belgium, on 7 January 1945. First Lieutenant Thayer, Company B, 1st Battalion, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment (then Platoon Leader, Company B, 194th Glider Infantry Regiment) was leading his platoon in the attack to take the town when the platoon was subjected to direct fire from the enemy tanks. First Lieutenant Thayer, with a bazooka and two men, rushed to a place in the open to draw fire from his platoon and to place fire on the enemy tanks. The two men were killed and he, himself, seriously wounded. Although weak from the loss of blood and paralyzed, he kept shouting directions to his platoon, enabling them to escape annihilation. When the enemy tanks moved towards his position, he called for artillery fire on his position which forced them to withdraw. During this time, he remained conscious by sheer will, so as to give the information he had heard and seen while the enemy was in his position. The intrepid courage, aggressiveness and gallantry displayed on this occasion by First Lieutenant Thayer was in keeping with the highest tradition of the Airborne Forces.