The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Captain Peter R. McCarthy (MCSN: 0-80028), United States Marine Corps, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving as United States Marine Corps Assistant Advisor to a Vietnamese Marine battalion, on 30 and 31 July 1967, during Operation CORONADO II, in the vicinity of Cai Lay, Vietnam. Applying pincer tactics, together with a battalion 1,500 meters to the south, Captain McCarthy and his men succeeded in trapping a numerically superior Viet Cong force in a dense woodline. Soon after deploying from the landing zone, Captain McCarthy and the allied soldiers met a hail of mortar, rocket, automatic weapons, and small arms fire as they maneuvered aggressively against the enemy. Throughout the day, Captain McCarthy continuously exposed himself to withering fire as he directed fire, adjusted artillery, called in close air support and gunships, and supervised medical evacuation. The battle continued into the night, and Captain McCarthy valiantly maintained communications with Command and Control and with artillery support. At 0500 on 31 July, the insurgents launched a desperate attack upon the adjacent friendly battalion and, due in large measure to Captain McCarthy’s courageous aggressive tactics, the Viet Cong were at last forced to break contact. Captain McCarthy’s heroic actions in close combat with a hostile force are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Marine Corps.