The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Isreal J. Daigle (MCSN: 1637938), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company G, Battalion Landing Team, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the vicinity of Que Son, Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 16 December 1965, Sergeant Daigle was leading his squad out of a mountain pass into a valley toward a new objective area. Suddenly, the Marines were caught in a vicious ambush and eleven men, including Sergeant Daigle were wounded in the initial burst of enemy fire. Disregarding painful arm and hand wounds from grenade fragments, he swiftly rallied the remainder of the men and, with composure and decisiveness, directed effective return fire on the enemy positions. His great presence of mind and immediate acceptance of command when the platoon commander and platoon sergeant were incapacitated undoubtedly prevented the Viet Cong from inflicting further casualties on Marines of Third Platoon. By his intrepid fighting spirit, inspiring leadership and stalwart devotion to duty in the face of extreme peril, Sergeant Daigle upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.