The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Jimmie A. Creech (MCSN: 0-77879), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Observation Squadron TWO (VMO-2), Marine Aircraft Group SIXTEEN (MAG-16), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 26 July 1969, Major Creech launched as Pilot and Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) aboard an AH-1G Cobra helicopter assigned the mission of supporting the emergency medical evacuation of ten casualties from a Marine company which was heavily engaged in combat with a hostile force approximately seventeen miles southwest of DaNang. When the lead extraction helicopter came under and extremely heavy volume of automatic weapons fire from numerous enemy emplacements while hovering above the pick-up site and was so extensively damaged that it crashed into nearby trees, Major Creech immediately commenced rocket and strafing runs against the hostile positions and then skillfully coordinated the air strikes of fixed-wing and OV-10 Bronco aircraft and those of other Cobra gunships on station with such effectiveness that the downed crew members were able to exit the disabled aircraft and move to a landing zone from which they were safely extracted. After the second CH-46 transport helicopter was forced to abort its approach to the beleaguered unit despite strikes by two flight of attack aircraft, he directed the Marines to move the casualties to a more suitable extraction site 200 meters away. With exceptional skill, he then boldly maneuvered his gunship on repeated rocket and strafing runs and controlled the air strikes of four more attack aircraft and four gunships with such devastating accuracy that the hostile fire was suppressed sufficiently to enable the CH-46 to enter the precarious area. Undaunted by the intensity of the enemy fire directed at his aircraft, Major Creech hovered directly behind the transport helicopter and fearlessly remained in his dangerously exposed position to deliver his ordnance at point-blank range into the enemy positions, silencing the hostile fire and enabling the wounded Marines to be safely extracted. By his courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Major Creech was instrumental in accomplishing the hazardous mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.