The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Paul Leviner (MCSN: 1210779), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Machine Gunner of Company E, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on the night of 6 – 7 September 1952. While relieving a strategic outpost well forward of the main line of resistance, the unit was brought under an extremely heavy enemy artillery and mortar barrage followed by an aggressive assault by a numerically superior enemy force, Courageously placing his machine gun well in advance of the outpost defense line, Private First Class Leviner brought devastating fire to bear upon the charging enemy, accounting for a great number of enemy dead and wounded. Although his weapon became inoperative due to mechanical failure, he quickly corrected the difficulty and brought his gun to bear upon the enemy once again. Repeatedly exposing himself to hostile fire, he kept moving the weapon to gain better fields of fire as the direction of the hostile attack changed. Severely wounded by enemy fire while attempting to place the machine gun in a bunker, Private First Class Leviner, by his exceptional courage, daring initiative and selfless devotion to duty, served to inspire all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.