The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the SILVER STAR MEDAL to

 

CORPORAL DURWARD E. TIMMONS, JR.

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

 

For service as set forth in the following

 

CITATION:

 

          For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Squad Leader with Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 10 September 1968, Company I was participating in Operation Mameluke Thrust when the Marines came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army unit occupying well-concealed emplacements. Observing that the point man had been seriously wounded during the initial contact and lay dangerously exposed to the intense hostile fire, Corporal Timmons unhesitatingly raced through the hazardous area and pulled his injured companion to a relatively covered location behind a rice paddy dike. While he was rendering first aid to the casualty, Corporal Timmons and his comrade became separated from the remainder of their squad.  When the squad was directed to withdraw to a more tenable position, Corporal Timmons ignored the hostile rounds impacting about him as he boldly stood in full view of the hostile soldiers, hurling hand grenades and delivering rifle fire which enabled his fellow Marines to safely redeploy. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in killing seven North Vietnamese Army soldiers and capturing a large quantity of weapons and equipment. By his courage, sincere concern for his fellow men and uwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Corporal Timmons upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.

 

For the President,

 

 

H. W. BUSE, JR.

LIEUTENANT GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS

COMMANDING GENERAL, FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC