The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lance Corporal Albert Clay Watson, Jr. (MCSN: 2260334), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company F, Second Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in action against insurgent communist forces (Viet Cong) in the Republic of Vietnam, on 15 October 1967. Lance Corporal Watson was assigned to the security element on the Hong River bridge located in the vicinity of Phu Bai in Thua Thien Province. Hearing noised from the river below his position, Lance Corporal Watson left his bunker to investigate and decided to throw an explosive device into the rifer. After he had removed the pin from a hand grenade, the device slipped from his hand. Shouting a warning to his comrades, he picked up the grenade to throw it out of the danger zone but it exploded seriously injuring him. By his daring actions and fearless courage in the face of personal risk, Lance Corporal Watson saved his comrades from serious injury, reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and upheld the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.