The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Technical Sergeant Wallace W. Mikelson (MCSN: 606392), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Command Pilot of a Transport Plane in Headquarters Squadron, FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Hagaru-ri and Koto-ri, Korea, from 5 to 9 December 1950. Braving a surrounding concentration of enemy troops estimated at seventy thousand, some of whom were entrenched within two hundred yards of the airstrip at Koto-ri, Technical Sergeant Mikelson carried out a series of vital transport missions from extremely small and hastily constructed airstrips. Executing all landings and take-offs in the face of intense hostile small arms fire, he successfully delivered eight loads of urgently needed ammunition, medical supplies and food to beleaguered friendly ground troops in the Chosin Reservoir Area. Returning on each occasion with his aircraft dangerously overloaded with the sick and wounded, he carried all casualties safely to a rear area. By his outstanding airmanship, daring initiative and unfaltering devotion to duty throughout, Technical Sergeant Mickelson upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.