The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Alexander F. Prescott, IV (MCSN: 0-101397), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company H, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 18 March 1968, during a battalion attack against elements of three North Vietnamese Army battalions in the fortified village of Vinh Quan Thuong in Quan Thuong in Quang Tri Province, First Lieutenant Prescott’s platoon was with the assaulting elements. When his unit was temporarily pinned down by heavy enemy small arms and mortar fire, First Lieutenant Prescott quickly deployed his men to establish a base of fire which facilitated the evacuation of casualties from the battle area. Completely disregarding his own safety, he repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire to fire a grenade launcher, a machine gun and several light antitank assault weapons and direct accurate counter-mortar fire against enemy emplacements. For the next several hours, he directed the fire of Marine snipers that killed North Vietnamese soldiers who had been forced from their bunkers by air strikes. Late in the afternoon when the assault of an adjacent company was halted by the heavy volume of North Vietnamese fire, First Lieutenant Prescott reacted immediately by leading his platoon in an aggressive assault across 100 meters of open terrain. Wounded during the attack, he refused medical treatment for himself in order to maintain the momentum of the attack. Although wounded a second time, he continued to direct his men until the enemy defenses were penetrated and the village was seized and only then would he allow himself to be medically evacuated. By his courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, First Lieutenant Prescott upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.