Robert S. Kestlinger

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Robert S. Kestlinger, Captain (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while attached to the Liaison Detachment, Far East Command. Captain Kestlinger distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea on 2 June 1952. Captain Kestlinger, in command of a two-man patrol, landed on the eastern bank of a river in enemy-held territory to reconnoiter the area and investigate a reported radar station. During the early hours of the following day, the patrol sighted a Chinese soldier and, while effecting capture, an outcry from the prisoner alerted the foe who immediately opened fire. Securing the captive, Captain Kestlinger exposed himself to hostile fire to cover his patrol member who had rushed forward to silence the nearest position with grenades. Ordering his patrol to withdraw with the prisoner, Captain Kestlinger assaulted the other machine-gun position, killing two of the manning crew with grenades and another with his trench knife. Despite vulnerability to rifle fire from high ground to the rear, he courageously seized a hostile submachine-gun and intercepted and charged a squad of six enemy, killing all of them. Through his unflinching courage and intrepid actions, the lives of a fellow officer and an indigenous boatman were saved.