Arthur A. Arnold

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Arthur A. Arnold, Boatswain’s Mate Second Class, U.S. Coast Guard (Reserve), for conspicuous gallantry in action as coxswain of a landing boat in the assault on Sicily, on 10 July 1943. With the landing operations halted by an intense volley from heavy enemy machine guns which killed many of the embarked troops upon beaching, Boatswain’s Mate Second Class Arnold courageously countered the fierce hostile attack. Realizing that return fire from his boat was ineffective he unhesitatingly exposed himself to the withering barrage and aiming with cool deliberation hurled two grenades into the enemy emplacement and succeeded in silencing the entire battery, thereby enabling our units to continue their advance into enemy occupied territory.