The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Daniel Henry Petithory, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in the face of overwhelming odds and direct hostile aggression as the Communications Sergeant of Operational Detachment Alpha 374, 3d Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), during combat actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, in Afghanistan on 5 December 2001. Sergeant First Class Petithory’s exceptional courage, dedication to mission and personal sacrifice directly contributed to the current success of both Chairman Hamid Karzai and the Northern Alliance’s defeat of Taliban Forces. Sergeant First Class Petithory’s remarkable performance and selfless commitment to his fellow comrades in arms serves as the standard for others to emulate. Sergeant First Class Petithory’s actions while engaged in combat operations during Operation Enduring Freedom reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), and the United States Army.