The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Raymond E. Collingsworth (ASN: RA-15412586), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Battery B, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, in action on 16 July 1950, near the Kum River, Korea. The 19th Regimental Combat Team, to which the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion was attached, had been overrun by overwhelmingly large enemy forces. the enemy had also succeeded in placing a road-block between the withdrawing American units and safety. Several attempts had been make to clear the block. Private Collingsworth approached the senior officer present and volunteered to undertake any duty assigned to him. In the face of withering enemy fire, he assisted in rallying drivers, in overturning wrecked vehicles blocking the road, and in moving unattended vehicles that were impeding progress. He assisted in lading the wounded on operable vehicles and volunteered to man a machine gun that was mounted on one of them. With the approach of dusk, it was determined that a last effort should be made to clear the road block since, at that time, enemy fire would be less accurate. Just before the signal to move was given, the driver of a quarter-ton truck abandoned his vehicle, thus blocking all behind him. Private Collingsworth coolly took over. He secured and automatic rifleman and a rifleman to assist himself and the convoy started. Private Collingsworth drove skillfully and courageously, refusing to stop even when other vehicles did so. He drove through three islands of enemy resistance in his break for safety. By this daring coolness and gallantry, Private Collingsworth assisted materially in extricating a group of completely surrounded men from certain annihilation. His actions brought high credit to himself and to the military service.