The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospital Corpsman Lawrence C. Bollinger (NSN: 7784637), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Medical Corpsman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division, in connection with operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 21 May 1966, Hospital Corpsman Bollinger accompanied the helilift of the Company to a position to block the withdrawal of a Viet Cong force. When the helicopters landed in an open rice paddy, heavy mortar and automatic weapons fire was received from an estimated Viet Cong company firing from all sides. The deadly hostile fire resulted in over twenty casualties in the first few minutes. As he was leaving the helicopter, Hospital Corpsman Bollinger saw a Marine fall critically wounded and helpless in a completely unprotected area swept by hostile fire. Without hesitation, he ran to the wounded man’s side and began administering first aid. In the midst of a hail of fire which pelted the ground around him, he calmly worked to keep the stricken Marine alive by stopping the profuse bleeding and injecting serum albumin. Although a burst of fire had knocked his helmet from his head and enemy fire was missing him only by inches, he stalwartly remained at the Marine’s side for more than thirty minutes, competently administering treatment. When the casualty sustained two additional enemy hits and was killed, Hospital Corpsman Bollinger unhesitatingly turned his attention to another man who was lying in an open area, wounded and bleeding excessively. Continuing to disregard his own safety, he ably treated the stricken man and helped with his evacuation. By his exceptional determination to aid his wounded comrades at great risk of his own life, coupled with keen professional skill and unswerving dedication to duty throughout, Hospital Corpsman Bollinger upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.