The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Engineman First Class Alton Raybourn Gunter (NSN: 5408239), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against the enemy on 27 March 1966, while serving on patrol aboard Navy Swift Boat TWENTY-SIX, on the Dong Tranh River, 17 miles southeast of Saigon, in the Rung Sat Special Zone. When PDV-26 was taken under fire from both sides of the river by a carefully-laid Viet Cong ambush, Petty Officer Gunter, though severely wounded and knocked off his feet by the impact of shells hitting him, quickly recovered and courageously delivered extremely accurate fire from his 50-caliber machine gun until he had exhausted his ready ammunition. He then single-handedly manned the 81-millimeter mortar and delivered devastatingly effective fire into the well-entrenched Viet Cong positions on both sides of the river. Only when the Viet Cong were forced to cease fire and his craft was clear of the ambush did he seek assistance for his wounds. By his courage and devotion to duty in the face of enemy fire, Petty Officer Gunter upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.