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 pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Billy J. Caton (ASN: RA-19698470), United States Army, for gallantry in action. Staff Sergeant Caton distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 21 August 1968, while serving as Weapons Squad Leader for the Third Platoon of Company A, 3d Battalion (Airborne, 503d Infantry Regiment, 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate). At approximately 0230 hours, near the town of Di Linh, heavy mortar, rocket, automatic weapons and small arms fire began to pound the position occupied by Sergeant Caton’s unit. Sergeant Caton immediately, and with complete disregard for his own safety, moved over sixty meters of open terrain towards one of his machine gun position, exposing himself to the murderous volume of enemy fire. While en route to the position, he was hit in the leg by fragments of a grenade. Although in great pain, he refused medical attention and continued on to the machine gun. When he reached the position he discovered that the bunker had been hit by enemy rockets, and that two of the men were wounded. Sergeant Caton immediately took over the machine gun and began to fire. He killed four of the enemy that had reached the barb wire in front of the position and were about to blow it up with satchel charges. Knowing the positions were running low on ammunition, Sergeant Caton proceeded to the platoon command post, collected the ammo and moved back to the machine gun, again exposing himself to the heavy incoming fire. He then took up a position in a trench next to the gun and continued to fight off the advancing enemy with his rifle. At this time Sergeant Caton spotted an enemy rocket emplacement but was unable to hit it with his rifle. Again he left his covered position and moved through the enemy fire back to the command post and obtained a grenade launcher and more ammo for the machine gun. When he reached the machine gun position he distributed the much needed ammo, then fired and knocked out the enemy rocket emplacement with his grenade launcher. Sergeant Caton’s exceptional gallantry in close combat against a numerically superior 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.