The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant, Junior Grade David B. Merritt, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on 27 October 1967, as Pilot of an A-6A aircraft during a single-plane mission against a strategically vital railroad ferry slip in North Vietnam. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Merritt flawlessly piloted his plane to the objective and began the attack despite intense anti-aircraft fire and surface-to-air missile activity. He succeeded in his mission, thereby dealing a significant blow to the North Vietnamese logistics effort.