The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Technical Sergeant Edwin L. Knox (MCSN: 274361), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Platoon Sergeant of Company A, First Engineer Battalion, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea from 1 to 3 December 1950. With his platoon employed as an infantry rifle platoon of the Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, during a determined night attack on the defense position in sub-zero weather by a numerically superior enemy force, Technical Sergeant Knox courageously assumed command of the platoon when the leader became a casualty, and braved a devastating barrage of hostile fire to rescue his platoon commander and wounded comrades, at the same time shouting words of encouragement to the other members of the unit, directing their fire and supervising the disengagement with the enemy. Assured that all casualties had been removed to a sheltered area, he assisted in rendering first aid treatment and unhesitatingly removed his outer winter clothing to protect the wounded from the severe cold while awaiting evacuation. Later, with his platoon acting as point of a column proceeding from Yudam-ni to Hagaru-ri, he spotted a large concentration of hostile troops preparing to ambush a Marine rifle company advancing on the right flank of the column. Although his own platoon was pinned down by a withering hail of enemy fire, he calmly held his ground and directed his machine-gun section in delivering accurate fire which almost completely annihilated the enemy force and permitted the Marine company to continue its advance with a minimum of casualties. During this extremely critical period, Technical Sergeant Knox expertly directed the construction of a by-pass near a demolished bridge in the face of harassing fire, ingeniously utilizing steel rails from a near-by railroad track to serve as a foundation. After the structure was completed, he deployed his engineers as a machine-gun section and directed effective fire to protect the convoy from further harassment while crossing the by-pass. By his courageous leadership, exceptional initiative and aggressive fighting spirit, Technical Sergeant Knox was greatly instrumental in the successful passage of all the vehicle trains from the Yudam-ni area, as the by-pass was the only avenue of escape from this sector. His great personal valor in the face of overwhelming odds reflects the highest credit upon himself and enhances the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.