The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Robert W. Watkins (MCSN: 0-103873), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (HMM-363), Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the night of 3 January 1970, First Lieutenant Watkins launched as Section Leader of a flight of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned the emergency medical evacuation of five seriously wounded Marines from a unit which was heavily engaged in combat with a hostile force approximately five miles west of DaNang. Arriving over the designated area, he found that a cloud cover of 300 feet above the ground covered the small knoll upon which the Marines were located and that dense fog blanketing the area severely restricted visibility. After establishing radio contact with the beleaguered ground unit, he was informed that the landing zone was under a heavy volume of enemy mortar and automatic weapons fire. Undaunted by the exceptionally adverse weather conditions, the difficulty of maneuvering his aircraft over the rugged terrain in darkness, and the intensity of the hostile fire directed at his helicopter, First Lieutenant Watkins, guided by a small fire on the ground, commenced his approach to the landing zone but was forced to abort his landing because of the intensity of the enemy fire. On his second approach to the Marines’ position, he descended below the overcast, air taxied up the hill toward the zone and boldly braved the hostile fire for some distance until its increased intensity forced him to wave off. Following five more unsuccessful attempts to reach the extraction site, First Lieutenant Watkins maneuvered on his eighth approach to a hover directly over the zone, began his descent through the fog, but again encountered such extremely heavy enemy fire that he aborted his approach. On his tenth attempt to reach the friendly ground unit, First Lieutenant Watkins, realizing the urgency of evacuating the critically wounded Marines, completely disregarded his own safety as he fearlessly proceeded through the hostile fire and skillfully maneuvered to a hover above the cratered zone with only one wheel touching the ground. For ten minutes he resolutely remained in his precarious position until all of the casualties were embarked and then expertly utilized his instruments to lift out of the perilous area through the fog and depart for the hospital at DaNang. By his dauntless courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, First Lieutenant Watkins upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.