Burneal E. Smith

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Burneal E. Smith (0-37856), Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while attached to Marine Aircraft Group TWELVE (MAG 12), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea, on 26 March 1953. Suddenly attacked by a flight of hostile jet interceptors while voluntarily escorting the tactical air co-ordinator of a massed aerial assault on a mission against enemy supply installations in the vicinity of Chinnampo, Captain Smith immediately countered the attack with aggressive firing runs on the vastly superior enemy and succeeded in disrupting their flight, skillfully maneuvering his aircraft to successively engage the swept-wing fighters as they conducted individual dives against the flight leader. As the last of the attackers dived past the nose of his aircraft, he gave momentary pursuit and shattered the nose of his aircraft, he gave momentary pursuit and shattered the right wing of the enemy plane with a burst of machine-gun fire, resulting in the immediate disengaging and retiring f the hostile flight from the area. By his exceptional courage, professional skill and unyielding devotion to duty in the face of extreme peril, Captain Smith successfully defended the tactical air co-ordinator, who subsequently directed the diverse elements of the striking force in a highly successful bombing strike against the primary objective, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

SPOT AWARD: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Serial 7158