The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant James M. Doneghy (MCSN: 1858526), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Sergeant with Company C, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 18 June 1969, during Operation UTAH MESA, the Third Platoon was moving to aid a Marine squad which had been pinned down by enemy fire near Khe Sanh. As Staff Sergeant Doneghy’s platoon neared the beleaguered Marines, it was attacked from two directions by a North Vietnamese Army company. When the platoon commander was mortally wounded during the first moments of the vicious fire fight, Staff Sergeant Doneghy unhesitatingly assumed command of the platoon and fearlessly moved about the fire-swept area to rally his momentarily disoriented men and to deploy them into effective fighting positions from which they successfully repulsed the attack. Rapidly assessing the situation, he realized that a second assault was imminent and that since his radios had all been damaged in the initial attack, he would not be able to request artillery support. Despite this almost overwhelming adversity, Staff Sergeant Doneghy boldly seized the initiative and, shouting encouragement and directions to his men, valiantly led an aggressive counterattack against the enemy positions on his right flank. The boldness and momentum of his attack surprised and confused the hostile soldiers, enabling his men to overrun the North Vietnamese Army unit, reach the beleaguered squad, and return to the company position with all of the casualties. By his courage, bold initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty during an extremely critical situation, Staff Sergeant Doneghy turned a potential tragedy into a Marine victory and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.