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) Gines Perez, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of the 2d Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Perez distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces near Kwakson, Korea, on 31 October 1950. On that date, the 2d Battalion was conducting a drive toward Sinuiju when it was held up by heavy artillery, mortar and automatic-weapons fire from seven enemy tanks and an estimated battalion of enemy troops. Colonel Perez, riding in the lead tank, leaped to the ground and, despite the intense enemy fire, deployed his battalion with the utmost calmness. After making a rapid, accurate estimate of the situation, he contacted Company E and led them to a position from which they launched an attack designed to envelop the flank of the enemy. Moving back, he directed the emplacement of artillery pieces; then, with complete indifference to the heavy enemy fire, he moved to the foremost position of his troops and personally adjusted the artillery fire. He remained in this exposed position until the enveloping company had overrun the enemy positions, forcing them to retreat in disorder. The successful enveloping attack, engineered and directed by Colonel Perez, resulted in the capture of sixty-four prisoners, inflicted an estimated two hundred casualties on the enemy, and destroyed five enemy tanks one self-propelled gun. The extraordinary heroism displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Perez on this occasion reflects the greatest credit on himself and is in keeping with the high traditions of the military service.