The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal John Joseph Niedopytalski, Jr. (MCSN: 2358303), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Battery D, Second Battalion, Eleventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. In the early morning hours of 19 March 1969, Battery D’s fire base at the Liberty Bridge cantonment in Quang Nam Province came under intense rocket and mortar fire supporting an assault by a large enemy force employing small arms and hand grenades. During the initial moments of the attack, Corporal Niedopytalski and most of his howitzer crew became casualties. When a sapper force penetrated a sector of the Marines’ perimeter, Corporal Niedopytalski disregarded his painful wounds as he single-handedly launched a counterattack against the hostile force and, fearlessly meeting the advancing enemy with an accurate volume of fire, killed three hostile soldiers. Rallying the remaining members of his crew, he then formed a blocking force which deterred the enemy’s advance. Throughout the ensuing fire fight, Corporal Niedopytalski repeatedly disregarded his own safety as he continued to encourage his fellow crew members and direct their fire against the enemy until the hostile assault was repulsed. His aggressive leadership and heroic actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in his unit accounting for nine enemy soldiers killed within the battery perimeter and over fifty killed forward of the friendly positions. By his courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Corporal Niedopytalski upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.