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 Specialist Fourth Class Richard Turcotte (ASN: RA-67189893), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 18 May 1969 while serving as a cannoneer with Battery D (Machine Gun), 71st Artillery, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date when Husky Compound at Xuan Loc came under an enemy rocket, mortar, and ground attack, Specialist Turcotte and the other members of his machine gun crew immediately began placing a heavy volume of fire on the advancing enemy. As the battle increased in intensity, his emplacement was hit by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade, destroying the weapon and mortally wounding two of his comrades. While helping to evacuate the casualties, Specialist Turcotte observed several hostile soldiers moving toward a perimeter bunker which had been neutralized by enemy fire. Using the machine gun mounted on his vehicle, he fired at the advancing enemy and forced them to take cover. He then ran to the bunker, secured a machine gun that had been abandoned inside, and raked the hostile troops with devastating fire, killing three of them and forcing the others to retreat. When he had expended all of his ammunition, Specialist Turcotte moved to a howitzer position in order to assist the crew in directing point-blank fire at the assaulting enemy. He continued to aid his comrades in repelling the hostile troops until he was wounded when an enemy rocket impacted near his position. Again he exposed himself to the hostile fusillade in order to evacuate the more seriously wounded soldiers to a safe position for medical assistance. Specialist Four Turcotte’s outstanding courage, unwavering devotion to duty, and deep concern for his comrades were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.