Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Captain (Medical Corps)

    Division:

    36th Infantry Division

    Action Date:

    November 1943

    Headquarters, 36th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 82 (1944)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain (Medical Corps) Ralph S. Phelan, United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as a Battalion Surgeon in the 36th Infantry Division, in action against the enemy on Mount Rotundo, in November 1943. Captain Phelan received word that there were many badly wounded men on Mount Rotundo who could not be brought down that night because of artillery fire and rugged terrain. Captain Phelan gathered blood plasma and other first aid supplies and headed up on the mountain, crawling and scrambling and clawing from foothold to foothold. When he reached the scene of action the same enemy fire that had caused so many casualties continued to grow by the minute, becoming even more intense. Although he was not a field worker and it was not his job to treat wounded on the battlefield, Captain Phelan crawled, under fire, from one wounded man to another, treating the wounded and saving many lives before they could be evacuated at dawn. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.