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 Staff Sergeant Freddie Lewis (ASN: RA-54344112), United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Staff Sergeant Lewis distinguished himself by intrepid actions on 8 February 1968 while serving as a Squad Leader in Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. On that date, company A was on a mission to sweep through the village of Lo Giang and clear it of a reinforced Viet Cong battalion which threatened the vast military complex at DaNang. As the company maneuvered through an exposed rice paddy en route to the village, they came under intense mortar and small arms fire from an enemy force of undetermined size. Sergeant Lewis was close to the command group during this initial burst of fire, and by displaying professional competence he was able to maintain excellent control of his squad. With complete disregard for his own safety, he exposed himself to the enemy fire as he helped assist the seriously wounded men back to the safety of the weapons platoon position. After deploying his men in a defensive perimeter, Sergeant Lewis made repeated trips into the open rice paddy to aid the wounded personnel. On one of these trips, he was severely wounded in the wrist. Refusing medical evacuation, he disregarded his painful wound to continue on with his mission. Sergeant Lewis was instrumental in saving many lives, and his encouragement contributed greatly to the morale of the men on the battlefield. Staff Sergeant Lewis’ personal bravery, aggressiveness and determination, and deep dedication to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.