The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Andrew B. Banks, Jr. (MCSN: 0-81351), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Light Helicopter Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN (HML-167), Marine Aircraft Group SIXTEEN (MAG-16), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 29 November 1968, Major Banks launched as Aircraft Commander of an armed UH-1E helicopter assigned to support the emergency extraction of a reconnaissance team which had become heavily engaged with a hostile force in Quang Nam Province and had sustained a serious casualty. Arriving over the designated location, he was joined by two other gunships and two CH-46 transport aircraft. Despite intense suppressive fire delivered on the enemy positions by the gunships, the lead transport and two accompanying gunships were forced to abort the mission after three attempts because of extensive battle damage and crew injury. The second transport then elected to attempt the extraction and, with Major Banks ably providing covering fire, commenced its approach into the zone but was forced to lift off because of a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire from the hostile unit on the ground. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Major Banks decided to complete the extraction himself and, after instructing the Marines to proceed to a nearby tree line, directed his aircraft to a secure area where he landed and jettisoned his rocket pods and all ammunition that could be spared in order to lighten his UH-1E. After returning to the alternate zone, he skillfully maneuvered his aircraft at a slow speed behind the concealment of the tree line, then landed, expeditiously embarked the team, and departed undetected by the enemy soldiers. By his courage, superb aeronautical ability and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Major Banks was instrumental in saving the lives of four Marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.