The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Jennings Willis (MCSN: 0-54059), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of the First Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam from 27 March to 12 May 1967. During Operation BEACON HILL I, Lieutenant Colonel Willis demonstrated inspiring leadership and exceptional professional skill while directing his battalion in a highly successful engagement with the enemy which resulted in 334 enemy confirmed killed, 523 probable killed and twenty-nine weapons confiscated. On 12 April, Lieutenant Colonel Willis was assigned command of a task force with the mission of clearing a buffer strip 10,600 meters long by 600 meters wide along the Demilitarized Zone from Gio Linh to Con Thien to prevent enemy infiltration from the north. Despite the extreme heat, numerous mines, booby traps and sniper fire by North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces, he aggressively led his unit through seven miles of adverse terrain. In addition, during the twenty days which it took to complete the first phase of the operation, his unit came under eleven intense mortar and rocket attacks and five ground assaults by enemy forces determined to prevent the Marines from denying them freedom of movement in this area. On numerous occasions, Lieutenant Colonel Willis exposed himself to concentrated enemy fire while directing and controlling the myriad details involved in this unique operation and as a result, he was wounded on two occasions before completion of the first phase on 1 May 1967. Subsequently, after recovering from his second wound, Lieutenant Colonel Willis rejoined his unit at the Con Thien outpost where he effectively directed the reorganization of the position and skillfully repelled an attack by two North Vietnamese Army battalions. On 12 May 1967, he was severely wounded for the third time within four weeks and evacuated from the area. By his exceptional professional ability, bold leadership and selfless devotion to duty in the face of extreme danger, Lieutenant Colonel Willis upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.