Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private

Unit:

Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division "All American", U.S. Army (Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division "All-American", US Army)

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private L. N. Emmons (ASN: 6281546), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82d Airborne Division, in action on 20 December 1944, at ***, Belgium. The advance of the battalion was held up by a 20-mm. cannon supported by crossfire from two enemy machine guns. Private Emmons, realizing the casualties inflicted by this obstacle were a vital factor in the attack, organized a three-man party to close in and destroy it. With covering fire from one machine gun, he crawled across flat ground under concentrated grazing fire from automatic weapons to gain an advantageous position from which to personally engage this opposition. Private Emmons was compelled, by the intense enemy fire, to change his plan of attack and destroy the supporting elements of the strongpoint. He then traversed an open stretch of ground under heavy fire, pausing to cut a barded wire fence in his line of approach. After gaining shelter from a small hill to his right, Private Emmons hurled two hand grenades into the machine gun nest destroying the gun. With utter disregard for his personal safety, Private Emmons rushed the remaining personnel in the strongpoint with his tommy gun, killing the entire group. The gallantry displayed by Private Emmons in this action typifies the training and spirit off the American Parachute Infantry.

For action performed on 20 December 1944, at Cheneux (municipality Stoumont)/Province of Liège, Belgium.