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 Staff Sergeant Paul Russell Shorter (ASN: 33092164), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces at Normandy, France, on 6 June 1944. When his section reached the beach with the initial assault wave in the attack on the European continent, Staff Sergeant Shorter was the only non-commissioned officer left. He immediately, with complete disregard for his own safety, exposed himself to the sweeping enemy machine gun and sniper fire in moving about and reorganizing his men. He then led his section through uncharted minefields and into the face of the enemy fire to assault and destroy several machine gun and sniper nests. As the fighting progressed inland, Staff Sergeant Shorter, on his own initiative, organized and led patrols to wipe out nests of snipers and machine guns firing on the flank of his unit. On at least five different occasions when organized resistance threatened to stop the advance of his organization, he moved out ahead of his unit and despite constant enemy fire proceeded to lead the assault on the enemy. Staff Sergeant Shorter’s personal bravery and repeated aggressiveness in engaging superior enemy forces without the slightest regard for his personal safety reflects the highest credit on himself and on the Armed Forces.