The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant William E. Fields (ASN: 2390419), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company C, 14th Machine-Gun Battalion, 5th Division, American Expeditionary Forces, near Cunel, France, 14 October 1918. Sergeant Fields placed his machine gun on a forward and exposed slope and opened an effective fire on the enemy position. The enemy concentrated machine-gun fire on his position, but by his fearless conduct he continued to fire, and succeeded in silencing three enemy machine guns, thus enabling the Infantry to advance. At Clery-le-Grande, 1 November 1918, after being severely wounded, Sergeant Fields refused medical attention, directing the medical personnel to other wounded.