The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Russel C. Fielding (ASN: 0-549950), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Anti-Tank Company, 222d Infantry Regiment, 42d Infantry Division. On 25 January 1945 the building occupied by Lieutenant Fielding and two men of his platoon was attacked by enemy troops of a Parachute Bicycle Battalion who were attempting to infiltrate behind Schweighausen. Lieutenant Fielding while directing defense of the building shot and killed the enemy company commander and two machine gun squads, each of which consisted of a non-commissioned officer and two men. During the engagement which lasted for three hours, Lieutenant Fielding received a wound in his back from a mortar fragment but continued the fight without heeding the wound, as a result of which ten prisoners were taken, fifteen Germans killed, including one officer, and five machine guns were captured.