The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Master Sergeant Richard Rudolph Beard (ASN: RA-6894102), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company C, 70th Tank Battalion (Medium), 24th Infantry Division. Master Sergeant Beard distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Sinchang-ni, Korea, on 29 November 1950. On that date, while supporting the defense of a friendly roadblock, Sergeant Beard’s platoon was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force employing an intense volume of automatic-weapons, small-arms and mortar fire. Mounting the rear deck of his tank and completely exposing himself to the enemy fire, Sergeant Beard calmly directed the fire of his tank weapons, then manned the tank’s machine-gun and delivered withering fire on the enemy, inflicting many casualties and forcing them to withdraw. Reforming, the enemy again attacked his position and once more was repulsed by the devastating machine-gun fire of Sergeant Beard. Later, when orders to move to a new position were received, Sergeant Beard, unable to contact one of his tanks by radio because of communications failure, dismounted from his tank and., running through a deadly volume of hostile fire, delivered withdrawal instructions to the tank commander. He then returned to his tank and was directing withdrawal actions when he was killed. The extraordinary heroism displayed by Master Sergeant Beard on this occasion reflects the greatest credit on himself and is in keeping with the high traditions of the military service.