The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain James Patrick Sheehan (MCSN: 0-77100), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company G, Second Battalion, Third Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 8 July 1967, the Second Battalion was conducting a search and destroy operation in Quang Tri Province in conjunction with Operation Beaver Track/Buffalo, when the leading platoon discovered a heavily fortified bunker complex and almost simultaneously, came under intense small arms and automatic weapons fire from an entrenched enemy force. Rapidly evaluating the situation, Captain Sheehan maneuvered another element of his company forward to assist the besieged platoon, and requested artillery fire to support the attack. When this maneuvering element came under a heavy volume of fire from three directions, he unhesitatingly moved forward to a dangerously exposed position and personally adjusted the artillery fire on the enemy emplacements. In the ensuing engagement, he continued to disregard his own personal safety and moved from one position to another, encouraging his men and directing their fire, skillfully directing fixed-wing air strikes on the enemy positions, he silenced the hostile fire, thereby enabling the casualties to be evacuated. While he directed the systematic destruction of the North Vietnamese bunker system, an enemy hand grenade exploded which seriously wounded him and knocked him to the ground. Disregarding his painful injuries, Captain Sheehan refused medical evacuation and steadfastly continued to lead his company until the enemy was routed and the objective was secured. Not until all the casualties in his company had been given medical aid and were evacuated, did he allow himself to be medially evacuated. In large measure due to his aggressive fighting spirit and superb professional skill, Company G inflicted nearly forty enemy confirmed killed. By his bold courage, resolute determination and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of extreme personal danger, Captain Sheehan was instrumental in the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.