The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Field Artillery), [then Second Lieutenant] William C. Winlock (ASN: 0-61375), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Battery A, 39th Field Artillery Battalion, 3d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy in Korea. On 23 June 1951, Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, was ordered to secure Hill 717, near Ma-san-ni, Korea. During the push forward, the advance platoon, reaching a prominent knoll directly to the front of the objective, became pinned down by the sweeping small arms fire of two enemy companies entrenched on the top of Hill 717. In order to bring a destructive artillery bombardment upon the hostile positions, Lieutenant Winlock, the unit’s forward artillery observer, quickly moved to the immobile unit and placed himself in a location which afforded maximum observation of the foe. Although completely exposed to the successive volleys of enemy fire, he refused to evacuate the hazardous site and proceeded to call for and direct effectively neutralizing fire on Hill 717, which obliterated two automatic weapons positions and sufficiently hampered the enemy resistance so that the company was able to attack and secure the objective. Shortly after the hill was taken, the enemy counterattacked; and, one more boldly exposing himself to the hostile fire, Lieutenant Winlock adjusted a repulsing artillery barrage on the enemy troops. During the action, he was wounded by the shell fragments of a bursting hand grenade; but, refusing to be placed on a litter, he walked from the battle area, helping other wounded men to reach the aid station. Lieutenant Winlock’s resolute gallantry and militant courage reflect the highest credit upon himself and the military service.