The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Private First Class Gordon M. Murray, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy while a member of Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Company, 7804 Army Unit, Advance Section, U.S. Army Europe Communication Zone, at For de Tavannes, France, on 22 April 1956. An American soldier had fallen into an 80 foot shaft in the abandoned fort, the walls of which were honeycombed with tunnels and vertical shafts, many of which had caved in or had been choked by falling debris. Private Murray, realizing the danger involved, and knowing he would have to be lowered by rope, that the timbers over the hole upon which the men would have to stand was not solidly secure, and that any vibration would cause several hundred pounds of rock to fall upon him, with the possibility of grave injury or loss of his own life, volunteered and was lowered to the bottom of the shaft in an effort to locate and render aid to his comrade. Private Murray’s complete disregard for his own life in his efforts to save that of another reflects great credit on himself in the military service.