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 Sergeant First Class Mitchell Opas, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as Medical Advisor to the Kinmen Defense Command, Army of the Government of the Republic of China on 23 August 1958. When the offshore Kinmen Complex was subjected to an intense artillery attack from the Communist-held mainland, it sustained over 55,000 rounds of artillery fire. Despite the ever present danger of losing his life, Sergeant Opas constantly exposed himself to this heavy artillery fire to rescue seriously wounded Chinese soldiers. Without concern for his own personal safety, Sergeant Opas bodily carried a Chinese soldier approximately 75 yards under extremely hazardous and threatening conditions to an underground shelter. Returning to the same area under the same perilous circumstances, he made repeated trips and carried four additional Chinese soldiers seriously wounded by enemy shell fire to safety. Sergeant Opas immediately rendered effective first aid to these wounded men and personally evacuated them to a field hospital. The unselfish courage, devotion to duty and heroic actions displayed by Sergeant Opas elicited the high praise of the President of the Republic of China, the Chinese Army Commander of the Kinmen Defense Command, and reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the military service.