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 Ollie C. Smith, Jr. (ASN: RA-14225387), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy in Korea. On 23 June 1951, Corporal Smith was a member of the 39th Field Artillery forward observer team attached to Company B, 1st Battalion, which was attacking Hill 717, near Mason-ni, Korea. During the engagement a friendly wounded soldier was placed near the top of the hill out of immediate range of hostile fire to await evacuation. Shortly after the hill was secured, and before the stricken man could be removed by litter, the enemy counterattacked, placing a mortar and grenade barrage upon the hill. Corporal Smith, seeing that the wounded infantryman lay exposed to the lethal hostile fire and unable to protect himself, ran to the man’s side and, using his own body as a shield, covered the soldier, as a consequence of which he received the grenade fragments which might have otherwise killed his helpless comrade. Corporal Smith’s exceptional display of altruism and gallantry reflect the highest credit upon himself and the military service.