The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospital Corpsman Third Class Shane A. Morris (NSN: 7933529), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Corpsman with Company A, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam, on 21 May 1966. Petty Officer Morris accompanied the Third Platoon, Company A, on a helicopter lift to a position to block the withdrawal of a Viet Cong force operating in the area. When the helicopters landed in an open rice paddy, the area was immediately subjected to intense mortar and automatic weapons fire from an estimated Viet Cong Company firing from all sides, resulting in over twenty Marine casualties the first few minutes. Immediately running to the nearest wounded Marine, Petty Officer Morris, while completely in the open and under intense enemy mortar and machine gun fire, administered first aid. Without hesitation, he moved from one wounded man to the next, exposing himself to the same intense fire which had struck down the men to which he was administering. After treating four of the casualties, he was moving toward another when he, himself, was hit by enemy fire and critically wounded. By his exceptional courage, determination and inspiring devotion to duty in the face of great personal risk, Petty Officer Morris upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.