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 Specialist Fourth Class Dennis Albert Prentice (ASN: US-56403450), United States Army, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in action in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 22 March 1967, Company A was moving along a ridge line near the Cambodian border in search of the enemy. They suddenly came under attack from a battalion sized unit of the North Vietnamese Army, utilizing mortars, rockets, heavy machine guns, automatic weapons, and small arms. Specialist Fourth Class Prentice immediately opened fire on the enemy positions. Receiving a command to spray the trees, he came to a kneeling position and firing from the hip, began a methodical sweep of the sniper-filled trees. Receiving the word to move back, Specialist Four Prentice noticed that the medics were encountering difficulty in getting the wounded inside the defensive perimeter. He found a bent tree, rested his machine gun on it and began laying effective fire into the enemy positions, making a cover of fire for the retreating men. Despite mortars and grenades exploding around him and small arms and automatic weapons fire tearing apart the surrounding trees, Specialist Fourth Class Prentice continued to fire. Even though ordered to seek cover due to the advancing enemy, he continued firing. His effective barrage of fire on the enemy enabled his comrades to safely withdraw to the defensive perimeter, thus saving their lives. His mortal wounds gave mute testimony to the fact that the lives of his comrades were more precious to him than his own life. Specialist Fourth Class Prentice’s unimpeachable valor in close combat against superior enemy forces is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.