Dante Cappiello

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Dante Cappiello (6879064), Sergeant, U.S. Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 601st Tank Destroyer Battalion, 3d Infantry Division. On 25 January 1945, at about 0600 hours, near Rosencrantz, France, when his tank destroyer was hit by an enemy 77-mm. gun and two of his crew were wounded, Sergeant Cappiello ordered his crew to dismount, pointed out the enemy gun to another tank destroyer, and rendered first aid to the wounded men. Then, noting that two of his crew were missing, Sergeant Cappiello unhesitatingly raced after his burning tank destroyer, which had rolled 200 yards distant. He was immediately taken prisoner by 14 Germans; however, with great presence of mind, he talked them into becoming his prisoners.