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 [then Private First Class] Billy F. Wheeler (ASN: ER-14299527), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy in Korea. On 24 April 1951, near Taejon-ni, Korea, Corporal Wheeler, the driver of an ammunition truck, was in a defilade position when the company area was attacked by a large enemy force. The assault troops wounded the two soldiers firing the heavy machine gun, silencing that very important weapon. Efforts by several men to reach the position had failed due to the intensity of the enemy barrage. Seeing what had happened, Corporal Wheeler dashed across the embattled terrain, heedless of the bursting grenades and the hail of small arms fire, to the gun position. He quickly and efficiently brought the weapon into action, delivering accurate and deadly fire upon the enemy within approximately 50 yards of the emplacement. Although wounded seriously in one of the numerous hostile assaults, Corporal Wheeler remained alone for three hours repeatedly repelling all attempts to overrun his position. Corporal Wheeler’s gallant determination and selfless devotion to duty reflects the highest credit upon himself and the military service.