The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospital Corpsman First Class [then Hospital Corpsman Second Class] Allen N. Keller (NSN: 6923306), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Corpsman attached to Company B, First Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam, on 22 March 1967. During Operation BEACON HILL in Quang Tri Province near the Demilitarized Zone, Petty Officer First Class Keller’s company became heavily engaged with a North Vietnamese force in entrenched positions and sustained numerous casualties. Realizing that the other Corpsmen would need assistance, Petty Officer Keller requested heavy machine gun fire and raced across 250 meters of exposed rice paddy under intense automatic-weapons and recoilless-rifle fire to reach the wounded men. Displaying exceptional presence of mind and professional skill, he quickly administered first aid to the casualties and assisted in moving them to covered positions. Although wounded himself, Petty Officer Keller selflessly refused treatment and courageously continued to aid his comrades. He expeditiously and efficiently organized and directed the evacuation of the wounded to the company post and when the company again came under heavy enemy mortar fire, fearlessly moved to each of the casualties, tirelessly treating and comforting them for eighteen hours until they were evacuated. Petty Officer Keller’s daring and heroic actions were instrumental in saving the lives of thirty-five wounded Marines. By his outstanding professional skill and bold initiative, performance and loyal devotion to duty at great personal risk, Petty Officer Keller upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.