Willie Vernon Bobo

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Willie Vernon Bobo, Private, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 331st Infantry Regiment, 83d Infantry division, in action against the enemy on 13 July 1944 near Chateau d’Auxais, France. When his company was subjected to intense machine gun fire from an enemy tank placed in the line of its advance, Private Bobo, completely disregarding his own safety, took an anti-tank launcher and an extra round of ammunition and advanced toward the tank line along a hedgerow which was being regularly sprayed with machine gun fire and artillery bursts. Reaching an effective range, he stood up in direct view of the tank and fired. As it began to turn he again fired, secured a direct hit on the turret and knocked it out.