The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Marshall “R” Wells (MCSN: 0-102378), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist aggressors in the Republic of Vietnam, on 8 April 1972. Serving as the Assistant Battalion Advisor to the Fifth Vietnamese Marine Corps Battalion on a combat operation in the enemy-held Hai Lang Jungle of Quang Tri Province, Captain Wells accompanied two of the battalion’s infantry companies under the command of his counterpart, the battalion Executive Officer, in locating and entering a large enemy bunker complex. After entering to search the area, the companies were surrounded and attacked by a North Vietnamese Army infantry battalion supported with mortars and crew-served weapons. At the outset of the enemy fire Captain Wells’ counterpart fell mortally wounded. Other key Marine Officers and noncommissioned officers, including members of the artillery forward observation team, were either killed or wounded. Captain Wells reacted to this critical situation by bringing accurate artillery fire to bear on the enemy mortar crews, administering first aid to the wounded, encouraging his Vietnamese comrades, and firing at enemy infantrymen. Upon hearing the cries of three seriously wounded Marines lying in the midst of the bunker complex, Captain Wells unhesitatingly crossed one hundred meters of fire-swept terrain on three different occasions to carry them to safety despite his helmet being struck by small arms fire and the enemy concentrating their fire on him. After reorganizing the survivors of his counterparts’ command group, Captain Wells assisted their newly appointed leader, a Vietnamese Marine Sergeant, in leading a breakout and across 1,200 meters of terrain back to friendly lines while carrying a casualty on his back. Captain Wells’ devotion to duty, courage under fire, exemplary professionalism and outstanding leadership were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.