The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Staff Sergeant Ramon Hernandez Gonzalez (ASN: RA-12572425), United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force on 8 February 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam. Staff Sergeant Gonzalez distinguished himself by intrepid actions while serving as a Squad Leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. On that date, his company was going to the aid of a Marine unit when they became pinned down in an open rice paddy by a barrage of mortar, rocket, and automatic weapons fire from an estimated battalion of North Vietnamese regulars. When the company commander gave the command to withdraw to a more secure area, the machinegunner attached to Sergeant Gonzalez’ squad was wounded and unable to provide effective fire cover. Realizing the importance of the machinegun fire, Sergeant Gonzalez, with complete disregard for his own safety, rushed to the unmanned weapon and started laying down a suppressive base of fire. After killing several of the insurgents and enabling the wounded personnel to withdraw, he then picked up the wounded machinegunner and started back to rejoin his squad. After moving several meters, Sergeant Gonzalez was mortally wounded by an enemy mortar round. Staff Sergeant Gonzalez’ unquestionable valor in close combat against a numerically superior hostile force was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.