The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Platoon Sergeant Victor A. Parrish, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 29 April 1969 while serving as a platoon sergeant with Troop C, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while conducting a reconnaissance-in-force operation in dense jungle, a combined armor and infantry task force of which Sergeant Parrish was a member came under intense fire from a heavily fortified enemy base camp. In the initial contact three of the lead vehicles were disabled by hostile rocket propelled grenade fire. Reacting instantly, Sergeant Parrish maneuvered his platoon in front of the lead element and set up a defensive perimeter around the disabled tanks. Disregarding the enemy fusillade, he dismounted his vehicle and ran to aid the wounded crew members of one of the tanks. In spite of the possibility that ammunition within the burning vehicle would explode, he helped to extract the casualties and evacuate them to safety. Upon returning to his vehicle and finding that his communications equipment had failed, he used hand and arm signals to direct his platoon in assaulting the base camp. When his vehicles suddenly came under intense fire from one of the enemy fortifications, he used his main gun to quickly destroy the hostile emplacement. During the remainder of the fierce firefight, he continued to expose himself to the enemy fusillade in order to cover the hostile positions with accurate heavy machine gun fire, thus accounting for several more enemy soldiers killed. Platoon Sergeant Parrish’s courage, devotion to duty and deep concern for the welfare of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.