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 Merwin E. Smith (ASN: RA-13295800), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company E, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 30 May 1951, in the vicinity of inje, Korea. In the early hours of that morning, his battalion kitchen trains were in a convoy advancing to the battalion when suddenly they came upon an enemy roadblock. In the first phase of the battle, Sergeant Smith was wounded. Ignoring his wound, he fought courageously and covered a withdrawal for his comrades. As he was fighting his way out he noticed a seriously wounded comrade several yards away and, disregarding the intense hostile fire, dragged his wounded comrade to a safe position where he administered first aid. Then seeing a friendly vehicle breaking out of the ambush area, Sergeant Smith stopped it and evacuated the wounded soldier. The gallantry and devotion to a wounded comrade displayed by Sergeant Smith reflect great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of the Military Service of the United States.