The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain (Field Artillery) Richard A. Rowlands (ASN: 0-387550), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters, 24th Infantry Division, on 20 July 1950 near Taejon, Korea. Captain Rowlands as liaison officer with the 34th Infantry Regiment was accompanying the withdrawal of that unit from Taejon, when the motor column came under intense machine gun fire which closed the route of withdrawal by destruction of the leading vehicles. Captain Rowlands with complete disregard of his own personal safety returned twice to the abandoned vehicles to remove wounded men to a place of relative safety. After nightfall, he assembled, organized and led a group of ten men safely back to their unit. The withdrawal of this group of men covered thirty-five miles through enemy infested mountainous terrain. During the withdrawal, Captain Rowlands on several occasion used his small group as a decoy in a successful effort to lead enemy patrols away from smaller groups of soldiers who were attempting to rejoin their units. The gallant act displayed by Captain Rowlands reflects great credit on himself and the Military Service.