The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star to Master Sergeant Galen C. Kittleson, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 21 November 1970 as a member of an all-volunteer joint U.S. Army and Air Force raiding force in the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed heliborne assault mission to rescue United States military personnel held as prisoners of war at Son Tay prison in North Vietnam. This valiant effort was motivated by deep compassion for his imprisoned fellow men-at-arms, and by a strong sense of military duty and national pride. After debarking from the crash-landed assault helicopter inside the prison compound, Sergeant Kittleson fearlessly maneuvered into his pre-planned position to provide covering fire for his advancing element, fully realizing that, in doing so, he was completely exposed to automatic weapons fire from both the east and the northwest guard towers. As the initial phase of the assault was accomplished, Sergeant Kittleson then took command of his sub-element; courageously, and with total disregard for his life, maneuvered into the north area of the compound; and, using accurate and aggressive rifle fire and movement, immediately neutralized his objectives. Even though he was award of the possibility of a counterattack by North Vietnamese forces, Sergeant Kittleson ignored this fact and calmly and deliberately began to search and clear the suspected prisoner-maximum-security area. Master Sergeant Kittleson’s conscious disregard for his personal safety, extraordinary heroism against an armed hostile force, and extreme devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself and the United States Army.