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 Stewart W. O’Shell (ASN: RA-13336751), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company H, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 6 September 1950 in the vicinity of Poncho, Korea. Corporal O’Shell was a member of a machine gun squad which was supporting a rifle company. While the gun crew was digging in on the forward slope of a hill, the enemy launched an assault and three members of the squad were wounded. Although the entire area was swept by intense enemy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire, Corporal O’Shell leaped from his sheltered position and through the hail of fire dashed to the top of the hill to a mortar forward observer. Instructing the observer to call for a smoke screen and calling upon the riflemen on the ridge to engage the enemy with a strong base of fire, he plunged back to the machine gun position. Under a steady concentration of hostile fire and completely disregarding his personal safety, he made the trip over the hill three times, each time carrying a wounded comrade to safety. The gallantry and devotion to his fallen comrades displayed by Corporal O’Shell reflect the highest credit upon himself are in keeping with the fine traditions of the military service.