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 Captain (Infantry) Knut Harold Raudstein (ASN: 0-428613), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces on 6 June 1944, near Holdy, France. Captain Raudstein formed a small group of approximately twenty-five men, and led them in an attack on a well camouflaged and heavily defended enemy 105-mm. howitzer battery. Approaching within thirty yards of the enemy positions he controlled the fire of his group upon the trench system surrounding the battery. He then directed the final assault on the battery, capturing valuable enemy weapons and killing or capturing the battery personnel. Later, near Come-du-Mont, France, to assist one of his platoons which had been surrounded by a superior enemy force, Captain Raudstein led a small force approximately two hundred yards along a hedgerow being covered by an enemy machine gun from a parallel hedgerow 150 yards away. This platoon had suffered heavy losses in men and equipment and was without automatic weapons. Captain Raudstein issued an order to hold, and while his entire platoon was under heavy enemy machine gun and mortar fire, he left cover, and with a 60-mm. mortar fired twenty rounds in the direction of an enemy flanking attack causing the enemy to retreat. Although painfully wounded by rifle fire in this action, he refused evacuation and continued to lead his company until seriously wounded while leading his troops in a later attack. The outstanding courage and leadership displayed by Captain Raudstein reflect great credit upon himself, the 101st Airborne Division, and the United States Army.