The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Edward F. Riley (MCSN: 0-85111), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company D, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 26 February 1969, Captain Riley was directed to seize a hill in Quang Tri Province as a lead element in a battalion-sized operation to interdict a major North Vietnamese Army re-supply route into the northern Ashau Valley. As the Marines advanced on the objective, they came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire from hostile forces occupying well-fortified emplacements. After fearlessly conducting a physical reconnaissance of the enemy positions, Captain Riley skillfully coordinated artillery and mortar fire, in addition to fixed-wing air strikes, with the movement of his Marines as he personally led an aggressive assault against the North Vietnamese Army bunker complex. Undaunted by the intense fire from the hostile soldiers stubbornly defending their emplacements, Captain Riley completely disregarded his own safety as he moved from one Marine position to another, shouting orders and words of encouragement to his men and directing their suppressive fire. His heroic and aggressive actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in his unit’s capture of a vase enemy ammunition cache with only minimal Marine casualties. By his courage, superb leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Captain Riley 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.