Anseimo Gonzales, Jr.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Anseimo Gonzales, Jr. (17092108), Private First Class [then Private], U.S. Army, for gallantry in action while serving as a Scout with Company L, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. On 28 October 1944, Private First Class Gonzales braved machine gun and small arms fire and mortar shells that burst 20 yards from him, in order to ascertain the disposition of enemy forces on a hill near Vidonchamp, France. Crawling forward 50 yards, he opened fire with his rifle at one enemy machine gun position 35 yards away, killing all three of the crew and silencing the weapon. Upon rejoining his squad, he directed mortar fire at a second machine gun position he had noted, silencing this weapon. By eliminating these positions, he enabled his company to resume its attack, in which 16 hostile machine guns were destroyed and 32 prisoners were taken.