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 pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Specialist Fourth Class Thomas Edwin Beglinger (ASN: US-51548611), United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 2d Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action on 2 October 1966, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Specialist Beglinger’s company was participating in a battalion size sweep when one of the company elements encountered the perimeter defenses of a Viet Cong base camp near the village of Ong Truong. In the initial engagement, both the platoon leader and his radio-telephone operator were severely wounded. Specialist Beglinger realized that the wounded were lying in a mine field and unhesitatingly moved toward them. As he approached the two injured soldiers, he became the target of heavy sniper and grenade fire, but with a heroic effort he reached their side. Specialist Beglinger ignored the intense hostile fire and immediately began to administer first aid to the battle victims until he was mortally wounded. The extraordinary courage and selfless regard for the lives of his fellow soldiers, as displayed by Specialist Beglinger, distinguish him as a combat soldier of the highest caliber. Specialist Beglinger’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 Division, and the United States Army.