The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Leroy Gibbons (ASN: RA-16317576), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company C, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 29 January 1951 in the vicinity of Sinchon, Korea. Corporal Gibbons was a member of a motorized patrol which, ambushed by an enemy force estimated to be 400 strong, was compelled to abandon its vehicles and to form a perimeter defense on high ground. Corporal Gibbons volunteered to penetrate the enemy lines in an effort to bring aid. After several attempts to break through the hostile troops he was forced to rejoin the patrol. The enemy assaulted the perimeter and during the firefight which ensued he exposed himself fearlessly on two occasions to pick up enemy grenades, hurling them back into the enemy and causing heavy casualties. The surrounded patrol was informed by a liaison aircraft that a relief column was on its way. At darkness, however, the relief column had not yet reached the hard-pressed patrol. Once more, Corporal Gibbons volunteered for the hazardous mission of infiltrating through the enemy’s lines. Disregarding the intense enemy small arms fire to which he was subjected, he succeeded in penetrating the enemy’s liens and contacted the relief column which had halted for the night. Because of his heroic action, the column immediately proceeded to the rescue of the trapped patrol and prevented the possible annihilation of the survivors by the numerically superior enemy. The gallantry displayed by Corporal Gibbons reflects the highest great upon himself is in keeping with the fine traditions of the military service.