Walter N. Higgins

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Walter N. Higgins (0-57695), First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. On 13 November 1950, Lieutenant Higgins was leading a motorized patrol in the vicinity of Handongson-ni, Korea, when a group of twenty enemy entrenched on a commanding ridge opened fire on his platoon, forcing it to disperse and take cover in the ditches on either side of the road. Fully realizing that he would be a target for intense enemy fire and with complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Higgins grabbed up a light machine gun and ran down the road and up the slope to a point from which he delivered sweeping fire at the enemy flank, killing two enemy soldiers, wounding several others and causing the remainder to flee. The patrol which had been driven to cover by enemy fire was then enabled to continue on its mission. Lieutenant Higgins’ gallantry and heroism reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.