TECHNICAL SERGEANT MAX BELFOR, (then Staff Sergeant), Infantry, United States Army. For extraordinary heroism in action against the Japanese Forces in San Manuel, Luzon, Philippine Islands on 28 January 1945. On a clear moonlit night, the Japanese launched a counter-attack with twenty tanks and eighty to one hundred infantrymen against the 161st Infantry positions in San Manuel. Sergeant Belfor, with his gun crew, was operating his 37 mm anti-tank gun near a street intersection. The main enemy thrust, headed by six tanks, two abreast, moved up the street toward this strong point of the anti-tank company. The rapid, grazing machinegun and 47mm fire from the tanks killed or wounded Sergeant Belfor s entire crew. Crawling forward through heavy enemy fire, he assisted a bazooka operator in firing against the oncoming tanks. Returning to fire his own gun single-handed, moving forward again through mortar, machine gun and 47mm fire to regroup anti-tank guns into more effective deployment in depth, carrying badly needed ammunition to bazooka operators across exposed streets swept by enemy fire, returning to fire

the remaining shells from his 37mm gun and seriously damage two Japanese tanks less than thirty yards away, Sergeant Belfor was a constant inspiration to his comrades. Later he evacuated a wounded man and brought back riflemen and bazooka operators to replace others in the forward positions. By his courageous and tireless devotion and his extraordinary heroism under intense enemy pressure, Sergeant Belfor was an important factor in crushing the enemy s armored assault.

Mr. Belfor resides in California, and is a LIFE MEMBER.