The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) Joseph Edward Noble, Jr., United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while Commanding a Battalion from an Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Noble distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Sokkogae, Korea, on the afternoon of 8 July 1953. On that date, Colonel Noble was the commander of a battalion counterattacking a numerically superior enemy force which was assaulting a strategic United Nations outpost. Completely disregarding his personal safety, Colonel Noble left the comparative safety of his command post and proceeded through the intense barrage to the sector of the heaviest fighting to personally direct the activities of his unit. Although he had previously given his steel helmet and armored vest to one of his men, Colonel Noble continually moved about the fire-wept terrain to encourage his comrades, call in accurate variable time fire, and to assist in the manning of crew-served weapons. Although injured by a mortar shell, Colonel Noble remained in the area for the next two days, on one occasion personally extinguishing a fire in an ammunition dump which threatened the lives of many men. Colonel Noble refused to be evacuated until he had personally supervised an orderly withdrawal of all units from the outpost. The extraordinary heroism displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Noble on this occasion reflects the greatest credit on himself and is in keeping with the high traditions of the military service.