The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Malcolm A. Hill (MCSN: 0-22619), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Pilot in carrier based Marine Attack Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWELVE (VMA-312), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 24 February 1953. Participating in the rescue of a downed Marine aviator who was surrounded and being fired upon by hostile troops deep in enemy territory, Captain Hill conducted a series of daring minimum altitude strafing assaults, intentionally drawing the heavy hostile fire away from the downed pilot. Undeterred when his aircraft was hit and severely damaged by the enemy fire, he continued to maneuver the crippled plane at low level through intense and accurate barrages of hostile anti-aircraft fire and, on several occasions, succeeded in completely suppressing all ground fire directed at the downed aviator. After expanding all his ordnance, he skillfully conducted repeated dummy strafing runs on the enemy positions despite the increasingly accurate fire that was bursting all around his stricken aircraft. Although his plane’s fuel supply became dangerously low, he remained in the area until relieved by another flight of Marine attack aircraft. By his brilliant airmanship, indomitable courage and gallant devotion to duty, Captain Hill was greatly responsible for the success of a mission that resulted in the saving of a fellow Marine’s life and in the infliction of heavy casualties upon the enemy, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.