The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Rudy T. Schwanda (MCSN: 0-95386), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Naval Flight Officer with Marine All Weather Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FORTY-TWO (VMA(AW)-242), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy. On 23 February 1968, Lieutenant Schwanda launched as Bombardier/Navigator aboard an A-6 Intruder aircraft assigned a night bombing mission against a communications installation near Hanoi in North Vietnam. Realizing that the target area was heavily defended by radar-controlled anti-aircraft weapons, surface-to-air missiles and enemy interceptor aircraft, he assisted in the detailed coordination of the mission with supporting interceptor and electronic countermeasures aircraft. Utilizing his aircraft’s complex navigation systems, he directed the pilot to descend to a low altitude after clearing the coast of North Vietnam in order to use the rugged mountain terrain to shield the aircraft from enemy radar. With information provided by his radar equipment, he directed his pilot along the designated flight path and, alerted by his electronic countermeasures equipment to enemy radar acquisition of his aircraft, assisted the pilot in executing evasive maneuvers to successfully elude numerous hostile surface-to-air missiles launched against the aircraft. As the flight returned to its attack heading, Lieutenant Schwanda observed three additional enemy missiles approaching his aircraft and calmly informed his pilot, enabling him to again evade the missiles and manually release his ordnance on target. Demonstrating superior airmanship, he then navigated the aircraft through intense North Vietnamese anti-aircraft weapons fire to an alternate air base. Although an inspection for battle damage revealed numerous hits to the aircraft, it was refueled and returned to the DaNang Air Base. By his courage, exceptional professional skill and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of extreme danger, Lieutenant Schwanda was instrumental in the accomplishment of the hazardous mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.