The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Claire Elwood Hutchin, Jr., United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while Commanding the 1st Battalion, 23d Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Hutchin distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Kujang-dong, Korea, from 25 through 30 November 1950. During this period, the 1st Battalion was engaged in a series of defensive actions, counterattacks and withdrawals being conducted against superior enemy forces by the 23d Infantry Regiment. On the morning of 28 November 1950, Company C was driven from its positions by a numerically superior enemy unit, with a resultant loss of equipment and weapons and the company was completely disorganized. Learning that all the company officers and a majority of the senior noncommissioned officers were either killed or wounded in this engagement, Colonel Hutchin quickly went to the unit’s position, reorganized the remnants of the company, and personally led the remaining men in a counterattack to regain the positions. In the face of extremely heavy enemy small-arms fire, Colonel Hutchin personally directed and led this operation, succeeded in recovering the greater part of the lost equipment, and relieved groups of men of Company C who had been surrounded when the positions were overrun. That afternoon, when the 1st Battalion was designated as rear guard for the Second Division’s withdrawal from Kujang-dong, Colonel Hutchin personally took command of the rear guard element, consisting of one rifle company and a company of tanks. The pursuing enemy force, estimated at two battalions, pressed hard on the rear of the division’s column, which was forced to move slowly due to traffic congestion. Each time the column was forced to halt, the enemy would attack the rear guard from both flanks, using small arms, automatic weapons and grenades. During one of these attacks, Colonel Hutchin was painfully wounded in the face by flying shrapnel, but remained in control, brilliantly directing the defensive actions of the rear guard with outstanding success. The extraordinary heroism displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Hutchin on this occasion reflects the greatest credit on himself and is in keeping with the high traditions of the military service.