The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Johnnie P. Lee (MCSN: 2135311), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Patrol Leader with Company C, Third Reconnaissance Battalion, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 14 September 1968, Sergeant Lee’s team was inserted deep in enemy-controlled territory in Quang Tri Province and, within a short time, was surrounded by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force. Rapidly assessing the situation, Sergeant Lee deployed his men in a defensive perimeter and directed the delivery of effective fire upon the enemy. Ignoring the hostile rounds impacting near him, he redistributed ammunition to his men and when the Marines sustained casualties, he ably cared for his wounded comrades. Following six hours of intense fighting, a re-supply of ammunition was dropped from a helicopter and landed approximately thirty meters outside the Marines’ perimeter. Realizing the importance of recovering the ammunition before the enemy could reach it, Sergeant Lee unhesitatingly ran across the fire-swept terrain to the package, shouldered a case of M-79 rounds, and returned to the Marines’ position where he distributed the ordnance to his grenadiers. Determined to recover the rifle ammunition still outside the perimeter, he then made a second trip into the hazardous area and was immediately taken under fire by two hostile soldiers. Undaunted by the hostile fire, he skillfully maneuvered toward his destination and, firing his weapon, managed to kill both of the enemy soldiers and return to his position with the remainder of the ammunition. When a reactionary force arrived six hours after the initial contact with the enemy, a search of the surrounding area revealed that the twelve-man team had killed eleven hostile soldiers. By his courage, outstanding leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Sergeant Lee contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.