The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Henry McMullen, United States Air Force, for gallantry while participating in aerial flight as the Air Liaison Officer for the 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, on 28 May 1967. At approximately 0930 hours on that date, Colonel McMullen took off from Cu Chi, Republic of Vietnam, in an unarmed O-1 aircraft to direct a close-air support mission. After proceeding to the target area near the Oriental River he immediately set out to completely identify the heavily defended enemy positions set to attack advancing friendly forces. After describing and locating the positions for the ground commander and describing the target to the fighter pilots he rolled into a marking pass. He was immediately subjected to intense hostile ground fire. The fighter aircraft delivered their ordnance accurately and halfway through the strike Colonel McMullen decided to adjust the area of the target in order to silence other gun positions and strike other targets posing a threat to friendly ground forces. He completely disregarded his own personal safety and dove his aircraft through the intense fire to mark the target with a smoke rocket. As he was pulling out of the dive, his aircraft received several hits from the hostile fire. One of the rounds penetrated the floor of the cockpit and ripped into Colonel McMullen’s thigh, where it came to rest. He undauntedly chose to continue the mission, ignoring his injury and the damage to the aircraft. On his next rocket pass, Colonel McMullen fired a rocket directly into one of the Viet Cong gun positions, enabling the lead fighter to unload his ordnance without danger on his next deliver pass. Colonel McMullen continued to direct the attacks with such skill and daring that all the ordnance was dropped precisely on the enemy positions, silencing the ground fire and inflicting certain destruction on the enemy. Colonel McMullen’s aggressiveness under fire and his calm courage was an impressive source of inspiration to the fighter pilots, and he undoubtedly motivated them to accurately press the attacks in the face of the intense ground fire. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Colonel McMullen has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Armed Forces.