The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Specialist Second Class Francis W. Dunham, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy while a member of Company C, 21st Engineer Combat Battalion near Cape Hale, Colorado, on 6 April 1956. During Exercise “Lodestar Bravo” Specialist Dunham’s company occupied positions on Gore Range at a rock outcropping at an elevation of 12,300 feet. During the night while a blizzard was raging Specialist Dunham discovered one of his men missing. He searched the area with a flashlight and found tracks leading over the edge of a snow cornice. After alerting his platoon, Specialist Dunham secured a climbing rope to a tracked vehicle and, in spite of the darkness, cold and his lack of mountain climbing experience, unhesitatingly descended the rope to a ledge 70 feet below There he discovered tracks and other signs that indicated the victim of the accident was staggering blindly. Following the tracks for approximately two miles over treacherous footing Specialist Dunham found the soldier dazed and badly shaken. After building a fire to warm the soldier Specialist Dunham was joined by two members of the Mountain and Cold Whether Training Command who had reached the location by another route and assisted the victim to a highway four miles distant where transportation was available. Specialist Dunham’s alertness, prompt action and disregard of his own safety in behalf of another reflect great credit on himself in the military service.