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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) William L. Wendover (ASN: 0-5340808), United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Second Lieutenant Wendover distinguished himself by intrepid actions on 8 February 1968 while serving as a Platoon Leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. On that date, his company was engaged with a reinforced battalion of North Vietnamese Army Regulars and sustained numerous casualties during the initial action. As soon as the company commander was wounded, Lieutenant Wendover took command of the company and moved his platoon back, while at the same time directing their fire on the enemy to cover the withdrawal of the rest of the company. After reorganizing the unit, Lieutenant Wendover exposed himself to the hostile fire and moved among his men giving encouragement and placing them in effective firing positions. In response to Lieutenant Wendover’s request, artillery, air strikes, and helicopter gunships were brought in to subdue the enemy force, which had begun swarming out of their positions in an attempt to overrun the company. The enemy was finally repulsed after advancing to within 100 meters of the friendly force, and Lieutenant Wendover immediately moved his company forward and went on to rout the remainder of the Viet Cong battalion. Second Lieutenant Wendover’s unquestionable valor in close combat against a numerically superior hostile force is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.