The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Gene E. Edgar (MCSN: 2337757), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gunner with Company B, First Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 30 March 1968, Company B was attacking a North Vietnamese battalion southeast of the Khe Sanh Combat Base when the Marines suddenly came under a heavy volume of mortar, small arms and automatic weapons fire. Undaunted by the enemy rounds impacting near him, Private First Class Edgar fearlessly maneuvered about the fire-swept terrain while accurately throwing hand grenades into the apertures of hostile bunkers, accounting for several enemy soldiers killed. Continuing his determined efforts, he was assisting several wounded Marines from the hazardous area when he was seriously wounded. Ignoring his painful injury, he launched an aggressive assault upon the enemy positions and silenced several additional North Vietnamese emplacements. Subsequently, when his unit commenced to withdraw to a more defensible position, he assisted in evacuating wounded Marines to positions of relative safety. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in his unit accounting for 115 North Vietnamese soldiers confirmed killed. By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Private First Class Edgar contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.