The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant [then Private First Class] Joseph Paez (ASN: 20624404), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company G, 2d Battalion, 255th Infantry Regiment, 63d Infantry Division, in action on 11 January 1945, in the vicinity of Potit Roderching, France. When Sergeant Paez received word that three of his men had been wounded by heavy enemy artillery fire and were buried in a foxhole, he started out to find them. Under a heavy artillery and mortar barrage, he moved across two hundred and fifty yards of open terrain to their foxhole. Digging with a shovel and his hands he dug a large enough hole to crawl in and help out the wounded men and administer first aid. One of the men was so seriously wounded that he had to carry him back to the Command Post some one thousand yards away. The gallantry and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant Paez reflect the highest credit upon himself and upon the Armed Forces of the United States.