Edmund W. Hanlon

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Edmund W. Hanlon (0-49703), Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving with a Marine Infantry Company of the FIRST Marine Division, FMF, in Korea, on 28 November 1950. Second Lieutenant Hanlon was serving as a rifle platoon commander when his sector of the defense line was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force employing small arms, machine guns, grenades and mortars. During the entire engagement, he fearlessly exposed himself to enemy fire to move among his men directing and supervising their accurate and effective fire. When the exchange of fire became point blank and the enemy had penetrated a portion of his position, with complete disregard for his own personal safety and in the face of enemy fire, he moved among his platoon’s front, to its flanks and along its rear encouraging his men to greater efforts. On one occasion, he personally engaged the enemy with his sub-machine gun and killed seventeen and wounded many others. His display of leadership and initiative were an inspiration to all members of his platoon and materially contributed to the successful repelling of the enemy attack. Second Lieutenant Hanlon’s heroic actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.