The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Shiro Morioka (ASN: 30100996), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, 92d Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on 5 April 1945, in Italy. While acting as a volunteer litter bearer, Private First Class Morioka received an urgent call for an aid man. Noticing that all other men were busy, Private First Class Morioka, on his own initiative, started crawling to the aid of the wounded man. As he reached the casualty, three enemy 81mm mortar shells landed close by, one only eight yards away. When the second shell landed, Private First Class Morioka threw himself over the wounded man to protect him from further injury. After the third shell had landed, he secured the assistance of a rifleman in moving the casualty to a defiladed position and then to a relay post. Private First Class Morioka then assisted in evacuating four patients to the aid station. Each trip required five hours of travel over difficult terrain subjected to enemy sniper fire. For the next two days he evacuated men over the same difficult trail. Private First Class Morioka’s zeal and fortitude under hazardous combat conditions reflect credit on the Armed Forces.