The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Russell W. Wherley (ASN: 36429359), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with an Infantry Company of the 129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces near Taconda, Luzon, Philippine Islands, on 29 January 1945. Private Wherley was a member of the crew of a self-propelled howitzer being moved in defilade behind a recently captured hill. Two enemy tanks suddenly appeared around the side of the hill, at an angle to which the howitzer could not be traversed. While the driver attempted to drive the carriage into firing position, Private Wherley moved to the machine gun mounted at the side of the carriage. Sitting on the tube on the howitzer and completely exposed to fire from the advancing tanks, he trained the machine gun on the tanks and delivered steady fire. An artillery shell hit the tracks of the howitzer, stopped it completely and wounded every member of the crew. As his comrades left the vehicle to take cover, Private Wherley, though himself wounded, remained at his gun and covered their withdrawal. A moment later another shell struck the mount and he was fatally wounded. Private Wherley’s outstanding heroism in voluntarily holding a position of great and obvious danger, in the face of heavy fire at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 37th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.