The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class Ernest Beroth (ASN: RA-37746501), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Battery C, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 12 February 1951 in the vicinity of Changbong-ni, Korea. Battery C was attacked by a large enemy force which had broken through front line defenses. When his right flank was endangered, Sergeant Beroth, the chief of firing battery, deployed eight men with two light machine guns on the flank. Despite heavy automatic weapons and small arms fire which was raking the entire area, he led the machine gun squads to the threatened flank, ordering the men to fight a rear guard action while the battery march ordered its equipment and prepared to withdraw to an alternate position. As the battery displaced southward, it was brought under fire from commanding ground overlooking the route of withdrawal, and its lead vehicles were captured by the attacking enemy. When it became apparent that the enemy intended to capture the remaining vehicles, Sergeant Beroth dispersed the remainder of the men in a skirmish line along the road. As the enemy came abreast of the skirmish line, he led the men forward to engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. So fierce was this attack that the enemy was forced to flee into the hills in disorder. While the enemy regrouped for another assault, Sergeant Beroth set the nearest howitzers into firing position along the road. As the enemy attacked from the surrounding ridges, he laid direct fire into them and time after time beat back the frenzied assaults. When the ammunition supply was exhausted, Sergeant Beroth march ordered his pieces and successfully led the battery in breaking through the hostile roadblock. The gallantry and undaunted leadership displayed by Sergeant Beroth reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.