Mitchell Tarasiuk

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Staff Sergeant Mitchell Tarasiuk, 35 010 617, Infantry, Headquarters Company, 7th Infantry Regiment. On 11 January 1945, Sergeant Tarasiuk’s reconnaissance patrol moved into a woods near La Chin, France, to escape the fire of two hostile machine guns 400 yards away. Detecting movement deeper in the woods, Sergeant Tarasiuk, halted the patrol, and continued on in short rushes. Observing an eight-man enemy patrol attempting to cut off his unit, he waited until the unsuspecting Germans were less than 20 yards from him. Despite bullets from the two machine guns sweeping the woods, Sergeant Tarasiuk then opened fire with his tommy gun, killing three of the Germans, possibly wounding two and routing the remainder, thereby enabling his patrol to complete its mission.