The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Richard A. Palembas (MCSN: 2121528), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Sergeant with Company D, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam on 29 June 1967. While on a search and destroy mission northeast of the Con Thien combat outpost in Quang Tri Province, Sergeant Palembas’ company was manning defensive positions when approximately fifteen North Vietnamese Army soldiers were observed approaching the area. From covered positions in a trench line thirty meters from the perimeter, the enemy delivered accurate sniper fire on the company fatally wounding one Marine. Reacting instantly, Sergeant Palembas aggressively led a squad in an assault against the well entrenched enemy. While directing the fire and movement of his men, he observed three Marines fall wounded, one of them within a few meters of the trench. Realizing the man could not reach a covered position without help, Sergeant Palembas completely disregarded his own safety as he courageously advanced toward the trench. Charging the enemy position in the face of intense hostile fire, he killed one enemy soldier at a range of less than one meter and wounded another before he was seriously wounded in the neck, paralyzing him from the waist down. His heroic actions at great personal risk enabled his fellow Marines to remove his companion to safety. By his daring initiative, inspiring leadership and selfless devotion to duty, Sergeant Palembas 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.