The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Burrell H. Landes, Jr. (MCSN: 0-79715), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company B, First Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 6 July 1967, during Operation BUFFALO, Captain Landes’ battalion was occupying a defensive perimeter at Hao Son in Quang Tri Province when the Marines suddenly came under intense enemy artillery and rocket fire supporting a determined ground attack by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force. Realizing that the enemy had succeeded in penetrating the perimeter between his company and an adjacent unit, Captain Landes quickly organized a squad into a reaction force and maneuvered his men against the hostile flank while skillfully directing their fire against the enemy. Observing a North Vietnamese soldier maneuvering toward his position, he quickly seized a radio operator’s rifle and killed the hostile soldier. Displaying exceptional leadership and tactical skill, he aggressively directed the holding action of his greatly outnumbered squad until elements of a reserve company arrived to reinforce his position at the point of penetration. His heroic and timely actions were highly instrumental in blunting the hostile attack and preventing the enemy from overrunning his perimeter. By his courage, superb leadership and unfaltering devotion to duty at great personal risk, Captain Landes upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.