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 Fred J. Speaker (ASN: 20607378), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 35th Infantry Division, in action in the vicinity of ****, Germany, on 10 April 1945. Sensing an attack upon cessation of heavy enemy artillery fire,. Sergeant Speaker, a section leader, alerted his machine gun section of riflemen, who provided the first counterfire when the attack materialized. To afford a more advantageous field of fire for his weapons, he led his men through enemy fire to new positions and, while enemy shells struck the roof of the building, he cradled a machine gun in his arm and fired at the enemy from an upper window. Sergeant Speaker’s gallantry in action halted the enemy attack and reflects credit upon his character as a soldier.