The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Colonel Harold Sigward Roise (MCSN: 0-6134), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea from 27 November to 11 December 1950. With his battalion in point position in defense of Yudam-ni as Marine elements moved out in the attack to Koto-ri on 27 November, Lieutenant Colonel Roise consistently remained with the leading assault forces under heavy enemy fire emanating from hostile positions deeply entrenched on commanding ground, personally deploying directing his companies and utilizing all available supporting fires in defeating the outnumbering enemy in each furious encounter. Realizing the impossibility of gaining the assigned objective before nightfall in the face of the fierce resistance and treacherous terrain conditions, he ordered his units to set up a hasty defense on the ice and snow-covered hillside and, throughout the night as wave after wave of outnumbering forces persisted in their attempts to penetrate the area, expertly shifted elements of his command from one portion of the perimeter to another and supervised each maneuver to prevent the enemy from breaching his lines. Assigned as rear guard commander for his regiment’s withdrawal from Yudam-ni on 1 December, Lieutenant Colonel Roise welded his remaining men and reinforcing units into an impregnable defense of several key terrain features imperative to the continued drive to the sea. With the column held up by a roadblock following an all-night march in bitter sub-zero weather over a narrow, frozen path along the mountain north of Hagaru-ri, he formulated and directed a brilliantly executed Maneuver to wipe out the obstruction and enable the entire column to proceed. Inculcating in his officers and men his own courageous spirit of heroism and determination, he again employed his ‘moving perimeter’ to cover the retrograde movement of all elements of the FIRST Marine Division from the Chosin Reservoir area and, on 11 December, arrived at Hungnam with his battalion an intact, fighting organization. His brilliant combat tactics, inspiring leadership and great personal valor against tremendous odds reflect the highest credit upon Lieutenant Colonel Roise, his intrepid command and the United States Naval Service.