The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Eugene L. Bergelt, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as a Tank Gunner with Company C, First Tank Battalion, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 1 June 1951. Sergeant Bergelt was subjected to intense enemy fire in a position forward of the infantry battalion he was supporting. Tracer bullets from enemy machine guns ignited the infantry squad packs containing numerous hand grenades which were resting on his tank’s engine compartment. The packs burst into flame threatening the safety of the tank and its crew. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he crawled from the turret of his tank, and, while exposed to the direct fire of at least three enemy machine guns, laboriously dislodged the packs before the flames could ignite the hand grenades and damage the tank or injure its crew. Sergeant Bergelt’s coolness under fire and heroic actions were directly responsible for the safety of the crew and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.