The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Ronald Dudley Ray (MCSN: 0-89867), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as an Advisor to the Third Battalion, Vietnamese Marine Corps in Operation PADDINGTON, a search and destroy operation in Phuoc Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam on 12 July 1967. As search and destroy operations were being initiated, the Third Battalion, Vietnamese Marine Corps came under heavy fire from well concealed enemy emplacements. Captain Ray, with his radioman and Vietnamese counterpart at the point of contact, although hampered by dense undergrowth, requested that a helicopter in the area conduct a visual reconnaissance to assist in evaluating the situation. Although the helicopter was shot down, Captain Ray continued to move forward and skillfully directed air strikes to suppress enemy fire. By noon, the enemy force, estimated to be a reinforced Battalion, had succeeded in surrounding the two companies that Captain Ray was accompanying and were concentrating heavy mortar and recoilless rifle fire on Captain Ray’s position. With complete disregard for his own life and safety, Captain Ray heroically remained in his exposed position, directed air strikes against the enemy force and relayed information to the Battalion advisor. The numerically superior Viet Cong force launched six unsuccessful assaults against the two Vietnamese Marine companies. The final assault was so close that Captain Ray requested that supporting fires be brought to bear on his own position. Captain Ray’s counterpart, by utilizing the close artillery fire was able to effect a short withdrawal to regroup his forces. During the reorganization, Captain Ray, still under enemy fire, continued to direct air strikes on the attacking insurgent forces. He successfully directed an air strike to within fifty meters of his own position, which was a major factor in the success of a counterattack by the two Vietnamese Marine companies which silenced the enemy fire. Captain Ray’s skillful tactical employment of air strikes contributed greatly to the success of the action which resulted in numerous Viet Cong killed or wounded and large amounts of insurgent ammunition and weapons confiscated. His devotion to duty and courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star (Army Award) to Captain Ronald Dudley Ray (MCSN: 0-89867), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against an armed hostile force while serving as United States Marine Corps Assistant Advisor to a Vietnamese Marine battalion, on 30 and 31 July 1967, during Operation CORONADO II, in the vicinity of Cai Lay, Vietnam. The mission involved trapping over 1,000 Viet Cong in a dense woodline, and Captain Ray led the first wave of friendly forces as it hit the landing zone. He and his fellow soldiers were immediately engulfed in a hail of enemy mortar, rocket, automatic weapons, and small arms fire. Disregarding completely his own safety, Captain Ray encouraged his men and led them aggressively across the open rice paddies. They became pinned down by withering fire behind low earthen dikes, which offered little protection because many Viet Cong snipers were mounted high in the treeline. With heavy fire all around him, Captain Ray exposed himself ceaselessly to the insurgents in order to call in artillery fire, gunships, and air strikes throughout the day. As darkness fell and air support became less effective, Captain Ray was hit, painfully wounded, and knocked unconscious by a mortar fragment. Regaining his consciousness at approximately 0530, Captain Ray valiantly disregarded the agonizing wound and once more called for indirect fire support. Due greatly to his determination, the Viet Cong were eventually routed. Captain Ray’s heroic actions in close combat with a hostile force are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Marine Corps.