Headquarters, FIFTH U.S. Army, General Orders No. 127 (July 26, 1944)
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Brigadier General Paul Wilkins Kendall (ASN: 0-12199), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 88th Infantry Division, in action on 20 May 1944, in the vicinity of Fondi, Italy. After the capture of the town of Fondi, attacking infantry troops bypassed a hostile strongpoint in order to maintain contact with the retreating enemy. Realizing the danger that this German detachment presented to forces which were approaching the town, Brigadier General Kendall personally led a platoon of infantrymen against the enemy. The Germans, of approximately company strength, were well-entrenched in fortified positions affording excellent observation of the surrounding terrain and the approached to their positions. In the face of small arms fire directed at him, Brigadier General Kendall led the men in a series of assaults on six enemy positions, with the result that the entire German detachment was either killed or captured. Under his intrepid leadership the threat to approaching American troops was eliminated entirely. Brigadier General Kendall’s heroic performance reflects great credit upon himself and was in the highest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States.