The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Master Sergeant [then Sergeant First Class] Earlie S. Gillikin, Jr. (ASN: RA-13306822), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of the 24th Reconnaissance Company, 24th Infantry Division, near Nungding, Korea, on 8 November 1951. Serving as a tank commander, he was assigned the mission of protecting the rear of his company which was occupying an outpost position. During the hours of darkness, the unit was attacked by a fanatical and numerically superior enemy force, deploying intense automatic weapons, mortar, small arms and grenade fire. As the attack intensified, the enemy, succeeding in infiltrating the company flanks, attempted to establish a mortar position to the rear of the friendly troops. Sergeant Gillikin, realizing the extreme danger of the situation, personally led his tank on foot through a hail of small arms fire to a position where it could fire on the enemy. When his tank was in position, he manned its machine gun, and with utter disregard for the small arms fire striking the tank and glancing off about him, he brought such effective fire upon the enemy hordes that they were forced to withdraw. As the enemy fled, he directed his tank to move in even closer while he fired directly into the enemy masses, turning their attack into a complete rout and inflicting staggering losses upon them. Sergeant Gillikin’s courageous action, unhesitant devotion to duty and aggressive initiative contributed immeasurably to the success of his unit’s defense and reflect the highest credit on himself and the United States Armor.