The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Sergeant Joseph S. Bartok (ASN: 6910975), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 242d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division. On 11 January 1945, at Hatten, France, Sergeant Bartok was one of two men to volunteer to guard the entrance of a building occupied by approximately fifty members of his company, which building was being subjected to heavy 88-mm. and machine gun fire from a German tank. Sergeant Bartok covered one of the exposed sides of the building in the face of severe enemy fire until the members of his company were able to exit from the building.