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 Sergeant First Class Lowell W. Stevens, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous actions on 15 July 1967 as Special Forces team leader of a six-man patrol on a reconnaissance mission in enemy territory. The patrol had just completed a helicopter infiltration when it was subjected to intense automatic weapons fire from a North Vietnamese Army company in well fortified positions on three sides of the landing zone. Forming his troops in a hasty perimeter, Sergeant Stevens directed helicopter gunship strafing runs against the entrenched enemy. A rescue helicopter attempted to extract the surrounded patrol from the landing zone but was riddled by a savage hostile fusillade and forced to depart. Sergeant Stevens then led his comrades to a relatively secure position, adjusted napalm and bomb strikes of friendly fighter aircraft on the North Vietnamese, and guided his team aboard a second evacuation helicopter. As the ship ascended, it was hit by a hail of enemy bullets and forced to crash land. Braving relentless hostile fire, Sergeant Stevens led his team and the helicopter crew members from the wreckage into the nearby jungle and directed tactical aircraft in a devastating air attack which finally silenced the North Vietnamese. His fearless leadership saved the lives of his fellow soldiers and resulted in forty-three enemy killed.