The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospital Corpsman Third Class Mark E. Bjishkian (NSN: 7773427), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Corpsman attached to Company G, Second Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam, on 23 August 1966. During Operation ALLEGHENY, Hospital Corpsman Bjishkian’s platoon was engaged in an extended patrol through heavily overgrown terrain in the Dong Lam Mountains when the point fire team was temporarily pinned down by an intense barrage of small arms fire and grenades from a numerically superior insurgent communist (Viet Cong) force. The fire team was 100 meters forward of the main body of the platoon, but all movements were restricted as the platoon came under fire from its right flank. Almost immediately after the firefight began, two casualties occurred in the point fire team, and a call for a Corpsman was heard. Although the entire column was under fire, Hospital Corpsman Bjishkian, completely disregarding his own safety, immediately arose and began running toward the wounded, drawing heavy fire all the way. Miraculously escaping injury until just a few yards from his objective, he finally fell, seriously wounded. Determined to assist his comrades, Hospital Corpsman Bjishkian heroically continued to crawl forward to their position, where he directed the administration of first aid. He refused medical attention for himself until the other casualties had been fully taken care of. By his unfaltering courage, initiative and inspiring devotion to his comrades, Hospital Corpsman Bjishkian upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.