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 Major (Infantry) Raymond E. Funderburk (ASN: 0-5403048), United States Army, for gallantry in action involving close combat against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Major Funderburk distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on the afternoon of 31 January 1968, while serving as Information Officer, 9th Infantry Division, accompanying the Reconnaissance Platoon, 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. The armored personnel carriers of the patrol had just finished a sweep of Widow’s village and were en route to aid a besieged company in the village of No Nai when the Viet Cong attack began. The enemy, entrenched in a two-story house, let the column enter the ambush zone, then hit the third, fourth and fifth tracks with recoilless rifle rounds. The seventh track slammed to a halt just outside the ambush site and all occupants ran to the shelter of the side of a building fronting the street. Major Funderburk, along as an observer to obtain first-hand combat photographs, immediately took command of the 16 men and began directing their fire in a counter-offensive. Braving machine gun and recoilless rifle rounds, Major Funderburk collected all available M79 ammunition from the track out in the street. Then, seizing an M79 grenade launcher, he climbed to the roof of the building and began lobbing grenades onto the roof of the Viet Cong stronghold, demolishing the roof and trying to penetrate the second floor and destroy the enemy. When helicopter gunships arrived, Major Funderburk called in a devastatingly accurate rocket strike on the ground floor of the enemy stronghold, a mere 20 meters from his own position, without incurring any friendly casualties. Major Funderburk’s extraordinary heroism in close combat against a numerically superior Viet Cong force is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.