The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Hospital Corpsman Third Class Alex Joseph Kitka, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Corpsman attached to a Marine Rifle Company of the First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea on the night of 16 – 17 July 1953. When a reconnaissance patrol operating 3,000 yards forward of the main line of resistance in strongly defended enemy territory was ambushed by a numerically superior hostile force and sustained over fifty percent casualties in the initial stage of the battle, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Kitka, along with other members of the support and evacuation team, moved out quickly to the assistance of the beleaguered patrol. Before reaching the patrol’s position, the team suffered numerous casualties because of the heavy enemy mortar fire. Although he received painful chest wounds and was unable to move his right arm, Hospitalman Kitka administered first aid to his fallen comrades before moving up the hill through intense small-arms and mortar fire to the besieged patrol. After reaching his destination, he commenced removing the wounded members of the patrol to cover where he rendered first aid, ignoring his own serious condition and refusing to leave the battle area until all known casualties were evacuated. By his great personal valor and heroic efforts in behalf of others, Hospital Corpsman Third Class Kitka upheld the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.