The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class John James Rieck, Jr. (ASN: US-51825322), United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force while serving with Company B, 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, on 17 June 1967, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date during Operation BILLINGS, Private First Class Rieck was serving as a rifleman. While moving through the dense jungle near Chu Linh, his unit came under attack from a reinforced Viet Cong battalion. Both Private First Class Rieck’s squad leader and team leader were wounded in the opening moments of the battle. Private First Class Rieck immediately took command of the squad and with effective direction of his men, repulsed a massive Viet Cong human wave assault. Later in the battle, an insurgent squad moved to within 10 meters of the friendly lines in an effort to capture weapons and equipment from the wounded soldiers. With complete disdain for the vicious enemy fire, Private First Class Rieck led his squad to meet the insurgents. The Viet Cong were soon forced to withdraw after minutes of violent fighting. The enemy fire was still intense when Private First Class Rieck saw a wounded squad member lying within the hostile kill zone. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he crawled to the casualty, administered first aid and then pulled the soldier from the open terrain to the cover of a small berm. When reinforcements had arrived, Private First Class Rieck again exposed himself to enemy fire to bring medical aidmen to the friendly casualties. He then returned to his squad to lead them in aggressive counterassaults against the enemy. Due in large measure to the courage and calm demeanor Private First Class Rieck displayed in the face of enemy fire, the lives of many fellow soldiers were saved and a large hostile force defeated. Sergeant First Class Rieck’s unquestionable valor in close combat against numerically superior hostile forces is in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 1st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.