The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Thomas E. Bradbury (ASN: 0-5340138), United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Second Lieutenant Bradbury distinguished himself by intrepid actions on 21 March 1968 while serving as Platoon Leader for the Reconnaissance Platoon of the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. On that date, his platoon was on a search and clear mission near the village of Ap Bon (1) when they came under intense automatic weapons fire from an enemy force estimated at company size. Since the company commander was wounded and evacuated during the initial action, Lieutenant Bradbury assumed command of the unit comprised of an infantry-cavalry team. Realizing his position was untenable, he immediately reorganized his forces by pulling the infantry back on line with the attacked tracks. Repeatedly exposing himself to hostile fire, Lieutenant Bradbury disregarded his own safety to effectively direct helicopter gunships, medevac helicopters, and his combined infantry and cavalry forces against the well-constructed enemy positions. Lieutenant Bradbury continually exposed himself to the withering hail of enemy fire as his forces counterattacked the numerically superior hostile force. As a result of his competent leadership and professionalism, Lieutenant Bradbury’s men successfully overran the enemy, killing 17 of the insurgents. Second Lieutenant Bradbury’s unquestionable valor in close combat against a numerically superior hostile force is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.