Navy Federal Credit Union

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 First Sergeant Edward Crook, Jr. (ASN: RA-55128767), United States Army, for gallantry in action. First Sergeant Crook distinguished himself by extraordinary valor while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 11 November 1967, Sergeant Crook was serving as First Sergeant of Company C, 4th Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate), assigned the mission of making contact with Companies C and D, 1st Battalion, which were surrounded and had suffered over fifty percent casualties. Approximately 250 meters from the besieged element, Company C made contact on both flanks and front with an estimated North Vietnamese Army platoon. As the point platoon deployed against the enemy, Sergeant Crook organized a portion of the headquarters platoon into flank security. After spreading his men along the left side of a trail leading to the contact area, Sergeant Crook positioned himself at the point nearest the enemy. Two enemy soldiers appeared on the trail and were immediately taken under fire by Sergeant Crook. Uncertain as to whether or not the enemy were dead, he moved out to check the area, exposing himself to hostile fire. He then continued to move his element forward to the friendly units. As the beleaguered elements were out of ammunition and in danger of being overrun, Sergeant Crook and the rest of Company C ran the last seventy meters into the perimeter, killing from fourteen to twenty enemy soldiers in the process. Realizing that the large number of casualties inside the perimeter would have to be moved to a suitable landing zone for extraction, Sergeant Crook organized a carrying detail and, while consolidating the dead and wounded, continually exposed himself to enemy rocket, mortar, automatic weapons, small arms fire, and grenades with complete disregard for his personal safety. Shortly after arriving at the perimeter, Sergeant Crook was wounded by mortar fragments and his left hand was broken. He refused medical aid and continued to expose himself to enemy fire as the wounded began moving up the hill. Upon reaching the landing zone, he immediately set up security around the landing zone, as the company was still with the rear guard. Sergeant Crook worked diligently well into the night coordinating the redistribution of supplies and ammunition to all elements within the perimeter. His presence throughout the contact was essential to the successful evacuation of the wounded and the consolidation of the survivors of the battle. Sergeant Crook’s exceptional personal courage and devotion to duty were in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

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