The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Sergeant First Class George S. Salema, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Company B, 2d Medium Tank Battalion, 32nd Armor, on 23 June 1961 at Ayers Kaserne, Kirchgoens, Germany. While his unit was performing scheduled maintenance in the Battalion Tank Park, a high velocity armor piercing round exploded in the ready rack of an M-48A1 Main Battle Tank and started a serious fire in the fighting compartment. Although an explosion in the tank which was loaded with ammunition and fuel appeared imminent, Sergeant Salema unhesitatingly and immediately climbed on the left sponson boxes of the tank and closed the tank commander’s hatch. When other members of the command brought portable fire extinguishers to the burning tank, he opened the hatch, fought the fire from the tank commander’s hatch and after expending several extinguishers, entered the fighting compartment which was still burning and continued to fight the fire until it was extinguished Sergeant Salema’s complete disregard for his own safety and courageous action in this emergency reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.