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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Virgil Milton Atwood (ASN: 0-2262952), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving with Company K, 3d Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division. Second Lieutenant Atwood distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the vicinity of Okkye-ri, Korea, on 3 June 1951. Lieutenant Atwood was the leader of the assault platoon in an attack against an enemy-held hill. As the platoon advanced to the crest of the hill, it was suddenly subjected to intense enemy small-arms and automatic-weapons fire from well-fortified and camouflaged emplacements manned by a hostile force estimated at battalion strength. Realizing that in their present exposed position the platoon faced annihilation, Lieutenant Atwood, with complete disregard for his personal safety, charged up the slope toward the entrenchments. His heroic single-handed assault so surprised the enemy that they momentarily forgot the platoon, granting it time to seek cover, and instead concentrated their fire on Lieutenant Atwood. Rapidly firing his carbine and throwing grenades among the confused enemy, he leaped into their midst and killed approximately twenty of them in addition to rendering six automatic weapons useless. With the enemy in his immediate vicinity eliminated, Lieutenant Atwood began to move foreword once mere but was hit and instantly killed by a bursting enemy shell. The extraordinary heroism displayed by Second Lieutenant Atwood on this occasion reflects the greatest credit on himself and is in keeping with the high traditions of the military service.