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 Sergeant Jerry D. Patterson (ASN: RA-18753340), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Detachment A-362, Company A, 5th Special Forces (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant Patterson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 4 January 1968, as Assistant Commander of a Special Forces patrol on a combat mission in Tay Ninh Province. His unit located numerous vacated enemy huts and fortifications shortly after infiltration into the area of operations, and he deployed his men in an ambush near a recently used storage area. Three Viet Cong soldiers were sighted moving along a trail to the storage complex, and he let them pass his position so that the patrol’s main body could engage them. As the patrol opened fire, he jumped onto the trail and captured a wounded insurgent attempting to escape. His men were then brought under fire by an unknown size enemy force, and he ordered them to move to a helicopter landing zone for extraction while he remained behind to provide security and cover for their maneuver. Fighting furiously, he detained the enemy until his men reached the evacuation site. As the first helicopter arrived, it was hit by ravaging rocket grenade and machine gun fire from the closing Viet Cong forces and crashed nearby. Seeing his severely wounded troops lying helpless at the crash site, Sergeant Patterson moved through the bullet-swept jungle, reached the wreckage and carried the casualties out of the line of fire. Braving the fusillade, he next crawled forward and marked the hostile positions with smoke grenades for incoming air strikes. When the Viet Cong fire was suppressed he successfully directed the helicopter evacuation of the wounded. He then fearlessly led a reinforcement unit in a sweep of the area. Sergeant Patterson’s gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.