Samuel W. Allison

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Samuel W. Allison, Lieutenant, U.S. Coast Guard (Reserve), for conspicuous gallantry in action as Commanding Officer of U.S.S. LCI(L) 326 during amphibious landings on the French coast on 6 June 1944. Displaying superb seamanship and dauntless courage, Lieutenant Allison successfully landed units of the Army, then stood off the beach for salvage duty. Realizing that the services of a control boat were urgently needed, he volunteered for this assignment and, in the face of concentrated shell fire and constant threat of exploding mines, effectively directed boat traffic throughout the remainder of the initial assault.