James Claudiau Williamson

First Lieutenant, U. S. Army

Silver Star

Headquarters, 36th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 192 (1944)
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star to 2d Lieutenant (then Sergeant) J. C. Williamson (ASN: 20805614), United States Army, for gallantry in action in Italy.
"On January 30, 1944, in Italy, while acting as platoon sergeant, he advanced with his unit in an attach on enemy positions until intense machine gun fire pinned the group to the ground. With splendid leadership in the face of the enemy fire, he maneuvered one of his squads so skillfully that it neutralized two machine guns and captured 12 prisoners. When the advance of his platoon was again stopped by machine gun fire from a house at hits front, by carefully controlling his men and coordinating his movements with his platoon leaders, he helped destroy two more machineguns and captured 12 additional prisoners. Almost immediately a group of enemy snipers opened fire on the platoon from another house and he led a squad of his men in a flanking movement and successfully cleared the route of advance for the unit to continue onto it objectives."