The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Clarence Tolentino (MCSN: 1268075), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as the Squad Leader of a Machine Gun Squad, attached to the 1st Platoon, Company C, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in action against insurgent Communist Viet Cong forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 5 March 1966, during Operation UTAH, in Quang Ngai Province, Sergeant Tolentino was moving his squad in the Company’s assault when the platoon was pinned down by intense automatic weapons fire and a grenade barrage. After heroically exposing himself to the enemy fire in order to pinpoint the enemy positions, he picked up the machine gun of a wounded member of his squad and single-handedly assaulted the enemy positions. During his valiant effort, he was forced to stop because the machine gun malfunctioned. Undaunted, he returned to his position, retrieved his M-14 rifle and again gallantly moved against the enemy positions, remaining there so that they could not be reoccupied by the Viet Cong until his platoon could organize for the final assault on the well-entrenched enemy. He then joined the rest of the platoon in their final assault. By his heroic actions and gallant display of bravery, Sergeant Tolentino decisively contributed to ultimate victory over the enemy and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.