The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel (Field Artillery) O. B. Lawrence (ASN: 0-450040), United States Army, for gallantry in action as Commanding Officer, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy in Korea on 14 March 1951 and from 15 May to 25 May 1951. At 1700 hours, 14 March 1951, while in a forward positions with infantry elements being attacked by strong enemy forces and when our artillery forward observers were unable to call in supporting artillery fires due to lack of exact knowledge of location of our front line troops, Colonel Lawrence personally established an Observation Post well forward of our lines and coolly and expertly radioed to his battalion the information necessary to bring very close fires upon the attacking enemy. The enemy had full observation of the forward exposed position of Colonel Lawrence and delivered a great volume of artillery, mortar, and small arms fire upon him in an effort to nullify our damaging artillery support. While the enemy was attacking our sector in great force in an effort to breach our lines and annihilate the 2d Infantry Division, Colonel Lawrence, constantly disregarding his personal safety, exposed himself again and again to intense enemy fire from close proximity, at times with his battalion almost totally surrounded, to insure that his battalion achieved the maximum accuracy and deadliness of fire from their howitzers. The personal gallantry and continuous exposure of Colonel Lawrence imbued all to emulate him in turning in a superlative performance of duty in spite of all the enemy might do and reflect great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of the Military Service of the United States.