The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class [then Private] Julius W. Citino, Jr. (ASN: US-52035383), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company K, 7th Cavalry Regiment, in action against the enemy near Lyanjo, Korea, on 27 September 1951. At about 0100 hours K Company came under the intense determined attack of a battalion of CCF attempting to seize the peak of Hill 339. The fierceness of the attack overran both flanks of the company and threatened to take the top off the hill. While confusion reigned on the left flank, and after both machine guns were silenced by the enemy, the disorganized platoon withdrew over the top of the hill. The enemy immediately re-formed and began to assault the top of the hill. Private First Class Citino, a radio operator, new to the company, came forward and was directed him to get the spare heavy machine gun in action, though he knew nothing of the operation of the water cooled weapon. Without further orders, Private First Class Citino picked up the weapon and tripod and a box of ammunition and rushed through the withdrawing platoon into the face of the enemy assault fire and set up the gun on the open ground opposing their attack, beyond the furthest friendly troops. He put the gun in action and fired into the attack which was then within grenade range. The enemy directed all their fire at the flash of his weapon and began grenading him from three sides. Private First Class Citino sat full upright to bring more effective fire on the enemy and dispersed their attack. The enemy company behind the lead element set up a mortar about one hundred yards away from the machine gun and tried to knock it out. Private First Class Citino, however, disregarded the fire and calmly put the water hose on the overheated weapon. He then called for more ammunition and prepared to hold again. The enemy set up a machine gun in front of him and directed an intense volume of fire at Private First Class Citino, who at this time manned the only weapon stopping the enemy assaults. The enemy then attacked with fifty or sixty men in a mass attack. Private First Class Citino, unassisted, and with great heroism, disregarded the blistering fire and sprayed his weapon right and left, killing the enemy. When the mortar bursts came very close he directed the fire at the sparks of the mortar and destroyed the weapon, until he discovered that the water can had been perforated and the gun was overheating. He stopped firing and threw grenades at the assaulting troops, fired a long burst at the enemy and ran around looking for water. He came upon a can full of coffee and used it on the weapon for forty more minutes until the enemy attack receded and I organized the men around his position. Private First Class Citino remained at the gun until daylight when the enemy withdrew from Hill 339. Light disclosed that Private First Class Citino’s weapon and water cans and personal clothing had each been hit several times, although he had only been scratched. In front of his gun, forty-five enemy lay dead within fifty yards in a semicircle around his position. Private First Class Citino’s great personal heroism and disregard for his own life saved Hill 339 from being taken by the enemy, and saved twelve seriously wounded on top from being captured by the enemy, had he left his gun.