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 Specialist Fourth Class Noel Thomas West (ASN: US-56427096), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Medic with Company A, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Fourth Class West distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions 19 June 1967, while serving as a medical corpsman with his unit on a search-and-destroy mission near the village of Can Giouc, Vietnam. As the allied force was traversing a muddy rice paddy, they were met by a hail of automatic and semi-automatic fire from a well-entrenched Viet Cong force concealed in a clump of trees. Immediately upon receiving fire, West, in complete disregard for his own safety, began to treat the wounded. As bullets pounded the ground and filled the air around him, West dashed from casualty to casualty, rendering aid that in several cases proved to be of a life-saving nature. Hostile machine gun fire sprayed the rice paddy, and West, while aiding yet another wounded soldier, was hit and mortally wounded. West gave his life in order that others might live; he was an inspiration to the men around him. West’s heroic actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflected great credit upon himself, the 9th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.