The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Elza A. Decker (MCSN: 1195602), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Squad Leader of Company E, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 27 October 1952. When his unit was attacked by an overwhelming enemy force under cover of darkness while occupying an important outpost far forward of the main line of resistance, Corporal Decker quickly placed his men in position and skillfully directed them in delivering deadly fire on the attackers. With many of his men becoming casualties when a devastating hostile mortar and artillery barrage hit the outpost, he assured that the wounded were moved to a covered position and fearlessly placing himself at the entrance to protect the casualties, delivered intense rifle fire on the enemy, killing three and wounding several others. During a lull in the action when the enemy was forced to withdraw and organize for another assault, Corporal Decker moved about the trench line to insure that all of the wounded were in protected areas. When the second enemy assault was launched, he courageously engaged the hostile troops in hand-to-hand combat until forced by the numerically superior enemy to withdraw to the outpost tunnel works where he again assumed a position at the entrance to prevent the enemy from entering. After an artillery barrage was lifted from the position, he fearlessly exposed himself to hostile fire to search the trench lines for wounded and to gather enemy weapons and ammunition. Sighting three of the enemy in a collapsed bunker, he quickly annihilated the position with grenades. By his indomitable fighting spirit, outstanding courage and selfless devotion to duty, Corporal Decker contributed in large measure to the successful defense of the outpost and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.