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 Master Sergeant [then Staff Sergeant] John A. Hamm, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 12 August 1970, while serving as a Senior Medical Corpsman, assigned to the 37th Medical Company attached for duty with the Aero Rifle Platoon, Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. On this date the Aero Rifle Platoon was involved in a reconnaissance mission in an area northwest of Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, when contact was made with an enemy force. During the fire fight that ensued, four platoon members were wounded, one seriously, requiring aerial medical evacuation. After a medevac helicopter was unable to extract the wounded soldiers due to heavy ground fire, Staff Sergeant Hamm arrived at the location aboard an Air Cavalry Troop helicopter equipped with a “jungle penetrator”, a power operated cable and winch lifting device. Despite the continuing heavy enemy ground fire, the helicopter hovered over the extraction area while Staff Sergeant Hamm, with complete disregard for his personal safety and continually exposing himself to the enemy fire, directed the jungle penetrator down through the heavy vegetation to the ground until the four wounded soldiers were safely extracted. Staff Sergeant Hamm then volunteered to join his platoon members on the ground. While being lowered from the helicopter, the jungle penetrator cable broke, after being hit by enemy fire, causing him to fall several feet to the ground, landing in an area outside the platoon’s perimeter. He then fought his way back to the safety of the perimeter, remaining there until the entire platoon was extracted. Staff Sergeant Hamm’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.