The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Billy R. Duncan (MCSN: 0-60076), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 19 May 1968, when Company F became heavily engaged with an estimated two companies of North Vietnamese Army regulars south of the Khe Sanh Combat Base, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan quickly deployed Company G to assist the beleaguered unit and immediately proceeded to the battle area by vehicle. Upon arriving at Company F’s position, he contacted the unit commander and observed that the company was engaged along its entire front at distances of approximately twenty-five meters from the enemy. Suddenly, the Company Commander was mortally wounded and the left flank element of the company was forced to withdraw under extremely intense enemy automatic weapons, artillery and mortar fire. With complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan unhesitatingly exposed himself to the hostile fire to consolidate and reorganize the besieged company, inspiring and encouraging the men to repulse repeated enemy assaults, despite their rapidly diminishing ammunition supply. When enemy automatic weapons fire destroyed the radio he was carrying to control the units, he unhesitatingly moved from one critical point to another to coordinate the actions of his men and effectively deploy relief forces from another company. Under his decisive leadership, Company F was subsequently able to withdraw to covered positions while he coordinated air strikes and artillery fire on the entrenched North Vietnamese. At the conclusion of the supporting fire, he directed an aggressive infantry assault against the enemy which resulted in sixty-six North Vietnamese confirmed killed. By his courage, exceptional professional skill and steadfast devotion to duty at great personal risk, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan was instrumental in the defeat of the enemy and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.