The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Benjamin (Benny) Chandler Atkinson (ASN: RA-15048144), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Battery A, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 13 August 1950, in the vicinity of Yongsan, Korea. On this date, he was a member of a Forward Observer party with Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, which was located in a defensive position on Hill 165. The enemy, who had taken position under cover of darkness, launched a fanatic attack from the front and right flank against the entrenched company. Advancing under cover of heavy automatic weapons fire, they infiltrated the company’s positions and were throwing hand grenades in the fox holes. When Sergeant Atkinson observed an enemy soldier throw a grenade which wounded a BAR man and his assistant, he attempted to bring fire upon him. When his weapon misfired, Sergeant Atkinson left the safety of his own fox hole, reloading his carbine as he dashed forward, and killed the enemy soldier with a burst of automatic fire. His spontaneous and heroic action was instrumental in reducing the number of casualties among our troops and aided materially in repelling the enemy attack. The gallantry displayed by Sergeant Atkinson on this occasion reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.