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 Norman S. Suzuki (ASN: RA-10104245), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company L, 3d Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team, 24th Infantry Division, near Nunan-san, Korea, on 18 May 1951. His company attacked enemy forces firmly entrenched on a strategic mountain objective. Due to the nature of the terrain, the assault was made in a column of platoons, with the Third Platoon as the leading element. As the forward troops fought their way up the objective, they were subjected to intensely concentrated machine gun fire and suddenly counterattacked by a strong enemy force on the right flank. The friendly unit’s ammunition supply was dangerously low and the enemy hordes in front of them and to their right were preparing to join, making the situation doubly perilous. Sergeant Suzuki, Platoon Sergeant, realized that if his men withdrew the entire attack would collapse. If they remained, they would suffer heavy casualties. He immediately ran to a foremost position, shouting encouragement to his comrades and, with complete disregard for his own safety, charged headlong toward the machine gun position confronting the platoon. So furious was his assault that the hostile soldiers were completely demoralized. As the gun crew attempted to flee, Sergeant Suzuki killed them with bursts from his automatic rifle. His men, inspired by his fearless aggressiveness, immediately followed him and secured an intermediate objective. Enemy automatic weapons fire from higher ground suddenly swept their position. Deploying his men to give him covering fire, he again advanced, dashing across the open terrain under devastating enemy fire toward the emplacement. His men took up the charge, some with empty weapons, and as the panicky enemy troops scrambled out of their positions, they were killed or wounded by the assault fire. As a result of his outstanding valor, his platoon took both its objectives with a minimum of casualties and turned what might have been disaster into a decisive victory. Sergeant Suzuki’s courageous action, magnificent fighting spirit and indomitable determination reflect the highest credit on himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the United States Infantry.