The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Specialist Fourth Class Michael Mitchell, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Four Mitchell distinguished himself while serving as a Crew Chief aboard a helicopter ambulance of Headquarters, 58th Medical Battalion, 82d Medical Detachment, 68th Medical Group, 44th Medical Brigade, during a rescue operation in the An Xuyen Province. Responding to an urgent request to evacuate survivors of a helicopter crash, Specialist Mitchell and his fellow crewmen sped to the contact area. As his aircraft approached the wreckage, it encountered intense hostile fire. As soon as the evacuation helicopter touched ground, Specialist Mitchell disembarked the craft and rushed across an open rice paddy amid a hail of enemy bullets to aid injured personnel. Upon reaching the wreckage, the specialist found two airmen critically wounded but still alive. Then, Specialist Mitchell carried one of the casualties back across the bullet-raked rice paddy to the air ambulance. Braving the barrage of small arms and impacting mortar rounds, the specialist once gain returned to the wreckage and assisted in dislodging the trapped pilot from the damaged cockpit. Specialist Fourth Class Mitchell’s gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.