The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Charles Diamond, United States Army, for gallantry in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 18 April 1969, while serving as a platoon sergeant with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while conducting a reconnaissance-in-force operations, the troop came under intense small arms, automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire from a well-entrenched, heavily-fortified enemy force. Quickly directing the platoon’s vehicle into an assault formation, Sergeant Diamond led an attack on the hostile fortifications and began covering them with accurate heavy machine gun fire. Though his element soon came under enemy cross fire and his heavy machine gun malfunctioned, he calmly placed rifle fire on the hostile positions and led his vehicles in eliminating the enemy threat. Although wounded during the attack, Sergeant Diamond at one point dismounted his vehicle, assaulted an enemy bunker and killed its two occupants with hand grenades. When his platoon began receiving rocket-propelled grenade fire from a nearby hostile position, he quickly used his main gun to destroy the emplacement and the four-man enemy team. Upon observing a friendly tank burst into flames, he unhesitatingly ran through the hostile fusillade to lead in extracting the wounded and extinguishing the fire. As the enemy resistance began to diminish, Sergeant Diamond, still disregarding his wound, led his platoon in silencing several sniper positions. Staff Sergeant Diamond’s courage, devotion to duty and concern for the welfare of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.