The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Robert D. Hepler (MCSN: 647176), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Machine Gun Squad Leader of Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 6 December 1950. Unable to deliver accurate fire on the enemy from his position behind a small rise in the ground during an attack against his company by numerically superior hostile forces, Sergeant Hepler voluntarily crawled through the snow from his squad’s location on an icy snow-covered ridge to higher ground in hostile territory, continually exposing himself to intense enemy fire en route. Reaching this vantage point, he stood up, boldly sprayed supporting hostile mortar and machine gun emplacements with sub-machine gun fire and succeeded in neutralizing these positions. When the enemy machine gun began to fire again as he was returning to his squad to replenish his ammunition and displaced his weapon, he retraced the same route, again braving heavy fire and single-handedly destroyed the enemy machine gun. His outstanding initiative, coolness in the face of intense hostile fire and indomitable fighting spirit were contributing factors in aiding the defense of his company’s position and inspired all who observed him, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.