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 Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Hugh T. Barber, Jr. (ASN: 0-551951), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the *** Field Artillery Battalion, XII Corps, in action against the enemy on 10 October 1944, in France. When the advance of a task force assigned the mission of capturing the town of ****(*, France, and destroying a bridge north of the town, was halted by a sharp enemy counter-attack, Lieutenant Barber, an Artillery Liaison Pilot, flying at an altitude of less than 350 feet because of rain and fog, maintained the observation necessary for adjustment of artillery fire on the bridge and surrounding enemy positions. Lieutenant Barber was subjected to intense small arms and machine gun fire, and was severely wounded, but continued his low altitude observation over the target area until the bridge was destroyed and the enemy counter-attack repulsed, then made a safe landing in friendly territory. Lieutenant Barber’s intrepid actions, his accurate observation and fire direction, and his tenacity of purpose in continuing his mission despite the fact that he was severely wounded, were decisive factors in the success of the task force mission, and reflect great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of the Military Service of the United States.