The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Kenneth A. Anderson (MCSN: 0-28674), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Pilot of a Fighter Plane in Marine Fighter Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWELVE (VMF-312), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 16 October 1951. Leading a flight of twelve planes in a determined strike against rail installations on the enemy’s main supply route south of Sunchon, Captain Anderson initiated a daring attack on the target in the face of a heavy concentration of hostile anti-aircraft fire, completely demolishing a railroad bridge and effecting multiple rail cuts. When one of his aircraft sustained damage by enemy ground fire and was forced to land in hostile territory, he led the remainder of his flight through thirty miles of intense antiaircraft fire to the safety of the coast and, after alerting rescue facilities and directing them to the vicinity of the crashed plane, bravely ran the gauntlet of enemy fire to provide cover for the downed pilot. Throughout a period of one hour, Captain Anderson continued to carry out effective covering action and succeeded in silencing numerous hostile anti-aircraft batteries with strafing attacks. Although his plane received some twenty hits from enemy automatic weapons fire, he remained over the downed airman until darkness and shortage of fuel forced him to return to his base. By his outstanding courage, superb airmanship and heroic devotion to duty, Captain Anderson upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.