The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Joseph Paul Mitchell, Jr. (MCSN: 0-49815/533704), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Executive Officer of Company E, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 26 October 1952. Commanding a small defending unit on an outpost forward of the main line of resistance when a numerically superior hostile force attacked under cover of darkness, Second Lieutenant Mitchell immediately deployed his men to positions to deliver devastating small arms and automatic weapons fire on the attackers. With his group suffering numerous casualties when subjected to an accurate barrage of hostile artillery and mortar fire, he supervised the removal of the wounded to cover and, taking charge of the outpost radio, informed the company command post of the critical situation and directed effective friendly supporting fires which forced the enemy to withdraw. After personally examining the casualties, he prepared for a second hostile assault which was launched almost immediately and, throughout the engagement, led his men against the fanatical enemy in hand-to-hand combat in the trenches and on the bunkers until the numerically superior hostile troops forced his group to withdraw into the tunnel work of the hill. Expertly calling down friendly artillery on the enemy-dominated outpost, he regulated timely fire from his position inside the tunnel, thereby enabling his men to hold back the enemy advance by delivering effective fire from the tunnel entrance. By his valiant fighting spirit, outstanding courage and resourcefulness while under hostile fire, Second Lieutenant Mitchell contributed materially to the successful repulse of the enemy and to the subsequent defense of the outpost against further assault, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.