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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Lorie J. Vale, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy on 25 January 1960, while a member of Headquarters Company, 4th Training Regiment, United States Army Training Center, Armor, Fort Knox Kentucky. Lieutenant Vale was performing duty as an instructor and safety officer on Purol Range when a trainee undergoing instruction in live fragmentation grenade handling dropped an activated grenade in the throwing pit in an attempt to toss and froze with fear. Quickly recognizing the trainee’s inability to react to oral command, Lieutenant Vale physically removed the trainee from the immediate vicinity of the danger area, threw him to the ground, and using his own body as a shield, fell upon the soldier to protect him from the explosive blast. As a result of Lieutenant Vale’s presence of mind and quick actions the soldier suffered only a minor shrapnel wound in the thigh. Lieutenant Vale’s prompt courage and unselfish regard for his own life in this sudden emergency save the soldier from serious injury or death, and reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the military service.