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 Kenneth L. McWilliams, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Company B, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 504th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division, on 8 October 1957, while participating in a training parachute jump at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When a fellow soldier’s parachute developed a malfunction which caused him to be pulled inadvertently from the aircraft and to rapidly descend on a partially inflated parachute, Private McWilliams, immediately sensing this dangerous situation, reached out and grasped the fouled parachute as the man passed by him. With the soldier hanging the length of his suspension lines, Private McWilliams retained his hold on the semi-collapsed parachute and the two men descended safely to earth on the employed parachute. In performing this unselfish act, Private McWilliams jeopardized his own personal safety through the possibility of having his own parachute collapsed either from an entanglement of lines or because of the additional weight. The courageous presence of mind and heroism displayed by Private McWilliams reflect the utmost credit on himself and the military service.