GENERAL ORDERS - NUMBER 270  24 July 1953

 

    AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL - By direction of the President, under the provisions of Executive Order 9419, 4 February 1944 (Sec II, WD Bul 3, 1944), and pursuant to authority in AR 600-45, the Bronze Star Medal with Letter "V" device for heroic achievement in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States is awarded posthumously to the following named enlisted men:

Corporal (then Private First Class) RICHARD R. PALEVICH, RA23784685, Armor, Tank Company, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, United States Army. On the evening of 14 June 1953, the tank of which Corporal PALEVICH was a crew member, was moving to an assembly area in the vicinity of Songnae-dong, Korea, to join a task force of tanks. As the tank was moving toward the assembly area, it came under intense artillery and mortar fire which mortally wounded the tank commander. Corporal PALEVICH assumed immediate command and skillfully directed the tank through the heavy shell fire to the assembly area. After joining the task force, he moved the tank out into enemy held territory in support of a friendly raid on Hill "412". The tank was again subjected to lethal shell fire but he maintained control within the tank and directed it to a position where effective supporting fire could be laid on enemy troops and fortifcations. He remained exposed in the tank commander's hatch to the effective enemy fire and gave fire direction commands which utilized the maximum fire power of the tank. After the raiding party left the objective, he directed the tank back to the friendly main line of resistance. Corporal PALEVICH'S outstanding heroism and devotion to duty reflect great credit upon himself and the military service. Entered the Federal Service from Indiana.

Source: Record Group 338: General Orders 3rd Infantry Division, Boxes 129 to 131 - National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Maryland.