The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Robert B. Sinclair (MCSN: 0-40326), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Pilot of a Plane in Marine Attack Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWELVE (VMA-312), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 22 May 1952. After leading a four-plane flight in repeated bombing and strafing attacks which destroyed a rail bridge, a road bridge and two railway cars in the vicinity of Chinnampo, Captain Sinclair conducted his flight on an armed reconnaissance along a heavily defended enemy supply route near Pyongyang. Discovering a camouflaged enemy tank, he led his planes through intense anti-aircraft fire and executed a second series of rocket and bombing assaults, destroying the armored vehicle. When one of the attacking aircraft was struck by hostile fire and crash-landed deep in enemy territory, Captain Sinclair immediately alerted rescue facilities and dispatched a member of the flight to guide a rescue helicopter to the scene. Although his own plane was damaged by the increasingly accurate ground fire, he led repeated strafing runs against an enemy force attempting to surround and capture the downed pilot. With his ammunition expended, he carried out repeated dummy runs and effectively suppressed the hostile fire during the recovery of the pilot and the withdrawal of the helicopter. By his superb airmanship, daring initiative and exceptional courage, Captain Sinclair was largely responsible for the success of the mission and the rescue of his fellow airman, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.