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 Douglas A. Johnston (ASN: RA-14845746), United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 38th Artillery Brigade, Osan Air Force Base, Korea, on 23 July 1966, in Songtan, Eup, Korea. Without hesitation or concern for his own safety, Sergeant Johnston saved the lives of nine Korean children who were trapped by rapidly rising water during a flood which threatened the village of Songtan-Eup, Korea, on 23 July 1966. Sergeant Johnston was passing through Songtan-Eup when he noticed an elderly Korean frantically lifting nine children onto the rooftop of a house to escape the flood waters. Realizing that the water would soon engulf the house, and at the risk of his own life, Sergeant Johnston plunged into the boiling current to aid the trapped children. For over an hour in the gathering darkness he carried the nine children to the sanctuary of higher ground. Nine times he made the dangerous trip, swimming as much as one hundred yards through the raging current with each of the children. Sergeant Johnston’s courageous rescue saved nine lives and won him the praise, admiration, and respect of the Korean people. Sergeant Johnston’s courage and heroic conduct in this emergency are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.