The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Richard E. Breznican (MCSN: 1333569), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action, while under intensive enemy artillery fire, during the rescue of a drowning man at Yodo Island, North Korea, on 7 July 1953, while attached to the East Coast Island Defense Unit. With three Korean civilians being carried out to sea after being blown from their sampan by enemy shellfire, Private First Class Breznican volunteered to run the gauntlet of enemy shellfire in an LCM in an effort to rescue the victims. When the artillery barrage increased and killed two of the men, he unhesitatingly dived into the sea, swam approximately twenty-five yards through flying shrapnel to the survivor and towed him back to the landing craft where both were taken aboard. By his daring initiative, marked courage and resolute determination in the face of grave personal risk, Private First Class Breznican was directly responsible for saving the live of another and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.