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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) William Robert Bray (ASN: 0-5338215), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 9 October 1967, Second Lieutenant Bray distinguished himself while serving as a Platoon Leader in Company A, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, on a search and destroy operation near Phuoc Son. Second Lieutenant Bray was moving his platoon up the side of a mountain through heavy underbrush when it made contact with a force of the North Vietnamese Army using automatic weapons and began receiving a devastating volume of fire at close range. Second Lieutenant Bray immediately began to reorganize his platoon and to maneuver its elements against the enemy. Throughout the bitter fire fight that followed, he calmly radioed badly needed situation reports to the Company Commander. Fighting by the side of his men, he led them as much by personal example as by direct command. Second Lieutenant Bray personally eliminated three North Vietnamese soldiers and later silenced a group of them who were firing automatic rifles from a concealed position. In the latter instance he was moving to a position where he would have a better vantage of the battlefield. As he moved, both he and his radio-telephone operator received heavy fire from the group of enemy soldiers. Second Lieutenant Bray crawled toward their position and destroyed it with a hand grenade. He was moving toward a group of his men that were pinned down and in need of help when he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Second Lieutenant Bray’s exceptional gallantry is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.