 On January 23, 1945, the 3rd Infantry Division was attacking German forces in Alsace as part of the Allied offensive to collapse the Colmar Pocket.On January 25, 1945, Valdez was on patrol with 5 of his fellow soldiers at a small railway station near Rosenkranz, France, () when unexpectedly they confronted an enemy counterattack.An enemy tank was headed towards the patrol and Valdez, upon his own initiative, opened fire against the tank with his automatic rifle, action which made the tank withdraw.