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 pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Specialist Fourth Class Junius Columbus Collier (ASN: US-53811007), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 19 December 1967 while assigned to Company E, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade (Separate) (Light). On this date, Specialist Collier was serving as a rifleman on a reconnaissance in force operation in Bien Hoa Province when his company became heavily engaged with a well entrenched Viet Cong force. During the initial encounter, the First Platoon came under heavy enemy automatic weapons fire and Specialist Collier received a severe head wound which momentarily stunned him. Quickly regaining his senses, he began laying down an accurate suppressive fire on an enemy bunker to his front. Although bleeding profusely, Specialist Collier crawled to within hand grenade range of the fortified insurgents’ positions. Courageously exposing himself to the intense enemy fire focused on him, Specialist Collier rose to his knees and hurled the hand grenade into an aperture in the bunker, killing all enemy personnel within the fortification. While in this exposed position, Specialist Collier was again wounded and struck by small arms fire. His indomitable courage and unswerving devotion to his mission contributed immeasurably to his company’s defeat of the enemy and saved the lives of many of his comrades. Specialist Fourth Class Collier’s extraordinary heroism in close combat against a well-fortified, heavily armed enemy force was in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.