The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Richard S. Sheldon (ASN: 17123072), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company M, 3d Battalion, 222d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division. On 6 January 1945, near Birlenbach, Alsace, while leading a machine gun squad, Sergeant Shelden and another machine gun squad leader observed an approaching enemy patrol of approximately twenty-three men heavily armed with automatic weapons, advancing toward our lines through the fog. Cautioning the riflemen to hold their fire, Sergeant Shelden and the other machine gunner waited until the enemy approached to within 75 yards of their position and then opened fire as a result of which nineteen Germans were killed, two were wounded, and one captured without a single American casualty.