The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Russell D. Rupp (MCSN: 0-6069), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of Marine Fighter Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWELVE (VMF-312), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea from 13 August 1951 to 5 January 1952. Throughout this period, Lieutenant Colonel Rupp achieved a marked degree of success as a combat leader in more than sixty missions against the enemy and effectively welded the personnel of his squadron into an inspired and smoothly functioning team. Leading an eight-plane strike against a group of hostile artillery and troop emplacements in the vicinity of Sangchongson, he instructed his flight to remain clear of the target and personally reconnoitered the area at extremely low altitude in the face of constant enemy fire until he had ascertained the exact locations of the hostile strong points. Calling in the remainder of his flight, he led a series of daring napalm, rocket and strafing attacks on the objective throughout a period of thirty minutes in the face of intense enemy automatic weapons fire, scoring five direct hits with his own ordnance, inflicting numerous casualties on the hostile troops and destroying six heavy-caliber artillery pieces. By his outstanding courage, superb airmanship and unswerving devotion to duty, Lieutenant Colonel Rupp was greatly instrumental in neutralizing the enemy gun emplacements and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.