The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Wallace E. Blanton (MCSN: 1129134), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as an Assistant Patrol Leader of Company E, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea from 10 to 12 April 1953. Moving with the forward element of a combat patrol, Sergeant Blanton skillfully maneuvered his two fire teams into position and delivered effective small arms and grenade fire, inflicting heavy casualties upon the enemy. When the patrol was subjected to an intense grenade barrage and the patrol leader was among the many casualties, he unhesitatingly assumed command and, while reorganizing the unit, discovered that two of his men were missing. Rather than risk the lives of the few remaining men, he broke contact with the enemy and supervised the evacuation of wounded Marines. After returning to the main line of resistance, he volunteered to lead a patrol to search for his missing comrades and carried out a thorough but unsuccessful search of the area. On the following afternoon, Sergeant Blanton again led a small group of volunteers to investigate what appeared to be one of the missing Marines lying adjacent to a trench in the enemy’s defensive position. Although aware of the possibility of enemy ambush, he fearlessly entered the hostile trench and worked his way toward the point where the Marine was last seen. Encountering an enemy soldier disguised in a Marine uniform, he immediately engaged the imposter in a brief fire fight and, as other hostile troops moved into the trench, coolly extricated his unit from the trap, returning safely to friendly lines. On the third day, when the enemy placed the bodies of the missing Marines out in the open in close proximity to friendly lines, he effectively planned his course of action and, assuming the point position, advanced with his gallant group of volunteers to successfully recover the bodies. By his courageous leadership, aggressive fighting spirit and resolute determination, Sergeant Blanton was directly instrumental in the success of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.