The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospital Corpsman Robert J. Bardwell (NSN: 6897172), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against a hostile force while serving as a Platoon Corpsman for the 1st Platoon, Company A, First Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, during a search and clear operation on 17 July 1965, in the La Chau Village complex, Republic of Vietnam. When the lead element of the second platoon encountered a mine field and was simultaneously brought under Viet Cong fire from several directions, Petty Officer Bardwell, upon receiving a call from the adjacent unit, left his platoon and maneuvered approximately 200 yards across an open rice paddy in the face of heavy fire to locate and administer aid to two Marines, one of whom had been critically wounded by a mine detonation. With additional injuries being sustained by members of his own platoon as the intensity of the fire increased, he again ignored the mortar and automatic weapons fire impacting nearby, returned to his unit via the same open rice paddy and encountered two other Marines requiring medical attention. After administering necessary first aid measures, he assisted the senior corpsman in directing medical evacuation of the wounded by helicopter while under a heavy volume of hostile fire directed into the landing zone. Petty Officer Bardwell’s heroism under fire, his resourceful and decisive action, and his determined devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.