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 pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Specialist Fourth Class William H. Wallace (ASN: RA-12753702), United States Army, for gallantry in action. Specialist Fourth Class Wallace distinguished himself by heroic actions on 4 November 1966, while serving as the Battalion Commander’s radio-telephone operator. On this date, Specialist Wallace and the Battalion Commander were accompanying Company C, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division on a search and destroy operation in the dense jungles of War Zone C, near Dau Tieng, Republic of Vietnam. As the troops advanced through the dense vegetal entanglement, they received heavy machine gun fire from fortified enemy bunkers. During the initial burst of hostile fire, the Company Commander of Company C was killed instantly. The company continued to move along the line of enemy bunkers until they again made contact with the Viet Cong. Taking advantage of the dense vegetation, the Viet Cong allowed the friendly forces to advance within 20 meters of the bunkers before they commenced firing. Several troops were killed and wounded by the sudden burst of hostile fire, and the entire lead element was pinned down. Realizing that the friendly forces had inadvertently entered a U-Shaped row of fortified enemy positions, the Battalion Commander immediately organized the men and assaulted the bunkers. The Battalion Commander and the Company Radio-telephone operator were killed in the assault along with several other officers and enlisted men. Realizing the precarious situation of the company, Specialist Wallace immediately made contact with other units in the area and notified them of the desperate situation. Through the ensuing night, Company C was cut off and pinned down by enemy fire. Specialist Wallace maintained contact with the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Battalion Commander and relayed his orders to the remaining officers in the company. Throughout the night and during the next day until noon, when friendly elements came to their aid, Specialist Wallace courageously held his position through numerous enemy probes and relayed the explicit instructions of the Battalion Commander. Specialist Wallace’s courage and determination in the face of grave danger were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.