Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private

Unit:

Company K, 370th Regimental Combat Team, 1st Armored Division "Old Ironsides", U.S. Army

The Silver Star is presented to Private Charles J. Patterson for gallantry in action on the morning of 18 September 1944 in the vicinity of Colletto, Italy. At approximately 09:30 hours the squad of which Private Patterson was a member, was fired upon by an enemy machine gun emplaced in the wall of a church. The squad continued to advance in spite of the machine gun fire until it was pinned down by another enemy machine gun which opened up from the right flank of the squad. Seeing the imminent danger that the squad was in, Private Patterson started crawling forward up a hill to attack the machine gun that was firing from the front of the squad and holding up their advance. Private Patterson worked his way to the right of the machine gun emplacement and dropped a grenade into the emplacement killing two of the enemy and forcing the remainder to retire. During this time the squad leader was injured by an enemy artillery shell. Upon observing this Private Patterson made his way back to the squad, took command of it, and led it forward up the hill. Private Patterson's gallant act enabled the platoon to reach its objective and was within keeping of the highest tradition of the United States Armed Forces. Entered military service from Fort Wayne, Indiana.