RESTRICTED GO No 18 Hq; 82d Abn Div APO 469 U S Army 17 Feb 1945

II — AWARD OF. THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL

Under the provisions of AR 600-45, as amended, and pursuant authority contained in letter 200.6 (AG) Headquarters XVIII Corps Airborne, dated 31 August 1944, and Circular No. 2, Headquarters First United States Army, dated 4 January 1945, the Bronze Star Medal is awarded to the following named individual:

LOUIS G.. MENDEZ, JR., 0-23262, Lieutenant Colonel,, 508th Parachute Infantry. For Meritorious service in connection with military operations against the enemy for the period 17 September 1944 to 1 October 1944 near ***, HOLLAND. Lieutenant Colonel MENDEZ was Battalion Commander of the Third Battalion during the action south of ***, HOLLAND. The Third Battalion successfully seized and held, in spite of fanatical German opposition, the key ground in the *** area. The successful defense of this sector was characterized by several bloody counterattacks which elements of Lieutenant Colonel MENDEZ' battalion had to make to regain lost ground. Subsequently, the bat¬talion seized the flat ground between *** and *** in GERMANY after some of .the bloodiest fighting of the entire campaign. In spite of heavy losses sustained by his battalion, Lieutenant Colonel MENDEZ maintained the esprit de corps in his unit at a high level and his battalion was capable of sustaining the action although .considerably under strength. The entire record of the Third Battalion in battle and its high degree of combat efficicncy::in the HOLLAND Campaign was directly due to the ceaseless efforts and dynamic leadership of Lieutenant Colonel MENDEZ, which reflects great credit upon himself , his unit, and the Airborne Forces of the United States Army, Entered military service from COLORADO.