Masakazu Nishi

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Masakazu Nishi (39098471), Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 442d Regimental Combat Team, attached to the 36th Infantry Division, on 19 and 28 October 1944, near Bruyeres and Biffontaine, France. Discovering two enemy troops on an observation tower armed with automatic weapons, Sergeant Nishi halted his advancing platoon and proceeded alone. By cleverly maneuvering around the position he surprised an enemy officer and sergeant and after taking them prisoner, obtained valuable information regarding the enemy’s disposition. On another occasion, when the enemy launched a counterattack, supported by a tank, Sergeant Nishi placed his bazooka man at a vantage point while he moved to another point 25 yards away. Calmly exposing himself he fired at the oncoming tank with his sub-machine gun until the bazooka man was able to put it out of action and force the enemy to withdraw.