The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private Willard Bernie Holmes (ASN: US-52003101), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, 24th Infantry Division, near Kumsong, Korea, on 7 December 1951. He was serving as an ammunition bearer for an outpost platoon machine gun emplacement when the positions were savagely attacked by a numerically superior enemy force. Deploying a tremendous concentration of small arms, automatic weapons and grenade fire, the hostile hordes penetrated the platoon’s defenses and wounded the machine gunner. Private Holmes quickly took over the weapon and, realizing the extreme seriousness of the rapidly developing situation, swept the onrushing masses with devastatingly accurate streams of fire, inflicting severe casualties upon them. The rapidity and effectiveness with which he fired his machine gun from an exposed position was highly instrumental in enabling the quick reorganization of his unit and the successful repulsion of the enemy. While firing into the retreating attackers, however, he was mortally wounded by enemy small arms fire. Private Holmes’ gallant action, intrepid fighting spirit and self-sacrificing devotion to duty reflect the highest credit on himself and the United States Infantry.