The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class [then Sergeant] Velmer Ray Lucas (ASN: RA-13330854), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force on 10 February 1951, near Waegwan, Korea, while serving with Company I, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. While Company I was engaged in an attack upon enemy hill positions, a heavy volume of automatic weapons and small arms fire from an emplacement pinned down the assaulting platoon. Sergeant Lucas, despite the intense fire, voluntarily charged forward and single-handedly assaulted the position. Accurately hurling hand grenades at the hostile embrasure, he succeeded in destroying the machine gun nest and silencing the harassing fire. As a result of this action, the platoon was enabled to resume the assault and ultimately aid in capturing the assigned objective. Sergeant Lucas’ gallantry and aggressive deed reflects great credit upon himself, the 1st Cavalry Division and the United States Army.