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 John P. Vessels (ASN: RA-39297702), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company B, 2d Engineer Combat Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 27 November 1950 in the vicinity of Kujang-dong, Korea. On the night of that date the defensive positions of his company were subjected to a fierce attack by a numerically superior enemy force. When one of the company’s light machine gun positions was overrun by the enemy, Sergeant Vessels voluntarily led a group of men in two attempts to destroy the machine gun. On the second assault he led his men approximately 20 yards through heavy enemy small arms fire and succeeded in destroying the weapon. He remained exposed to the enemy fire and, by means of a lighted cigarette, directed the fire of his men. Later, when the company was ordered to withdraw, he again exposed himself to hostile fire in order to assist an officer in leading a group of 30 men off a hill and through a frozen river to more secure positions. The gallantry displayed by Sergeant Vessels reflects the highest great upon himself is in keeping with the fine traditions of the military service.