The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Fielding J. Lee (MCSN: 2384119), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gun Section Leader with Company D, First Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 23 February 1969, Corporal Lee’s platoon was participating in a combat patrol operation in the Duc Ky area of Quang Nam Province when the Marines came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire, in addition to hand grenades, from a North Vietnamese Army unit occupying spider holes scattered throughout a rice paddy. Reacting instantly, Corporal Lee rushed to the point of heaviest contact and commenced delivering accurate, suppressive machine gun fire upon the hostile force, enabling his companions to deploy to covered fighting positions. When his weapon malfunctioned, he fearlessly moved closer to the enemy emplacements and, while employing evasive tactics, began throwing hand grenades at one of the holes until he had destroyed the North Vietnamese machine gun position. Obtaining another weapon, he again provided covering fire until the arrival of a reaction force which he then led in an aggressive assault on the remaining enemy soldiers, killing one man with his accurate fire. Although painfully wounded in the preceding action, Corporal Lee ignored his injuries and, turning his machine gun over to his assistant gunner, maneuvered about the fire-swept area, collecting casualties and carrying them to a landing zone. Refusing medical evacuation, he resolutely continued his determined efforts until assured that all the wounded Marines had been accounted for. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in saving the lives of several Marines. By his courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Corporal Lee upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.