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 Thomas J. Whitehead (ASN: RA-13266520), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Company F, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 19 September 1950 in the vicinity of Changnyong, Korea. Company F was participating in the general assault upon enemy positions along the Naktong River. Early in the advance, his platoon was halted by intense fire from a heavy enemy machine gun, which threatened to inflict heavy casualties upon the unit. Corporal Whitehead, realizing that the enemy gun must be destroyed if the advance were to continue, immediately and with utter disregard for his personal safety, dashed forward in a daring assault of the enemy emplacement. He continued his charge, hurling hand grenades, until he killed the entire crew and destroyed the weapon. He then went to the aid of a wounded comrade, who was under hostile small arms fire, and dragged him to safety. The gallantry displayed by Corporal Whitehead reflects the highest great upon himself is in keeping with the fine traditions of the military service.