George Suetomo Miyaoka

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to George Suetomo Miyaoka (39081264), Private First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company L, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 34th Infantry Division, on 18 July 1944, in the vicinity of Colle Salvetti, Italy. When his company was halted by two machine guns less than one hundred yards away, Private First Class Miyaoka voluntarily advanced to destroy one of the guns. Under continual fire from a machine gun, a machine pistol and supporting sniper fire, he crept and crawled, utilizing the scant cover afforded by the rolling ground, to within 20 yards of the gun. As the enemy squad started to withdraw after Private First Class Miyaoka neutralized the machine gun nest with a fragmentation grenade, he shot and killed three of the enemy, wounded one and captured one. After sending the prisoner to the rear, he personally bandaged the wounded enemy. The voluntary and courageous actions of Private First Class Miyaoka cleared the way for the advance of the entire company.