The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Ralph Clair Anderson (MCSN: 0-100817), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO (HMM-262), Provisional Marine Aircraft Group Forty-Nine, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. During the early morning hours of 31 July 1969, First Lieutenant Anderson launched as Section Leader of a flight of two transport helicopters assigned the mission to medically evacuate seriously wounded Marines from an area near the Demilitarized Zone. After arriving over the designated area, he was informed that the Marine unit on the ground was under mortar fire from a large North Vietnamese Army force and that the casualties had occurred within the landing zone, because of the critical condition of the men, he unhesitatingly commenced his approach. Coming under intensive mortar fire, he quickly lifted off, and although his helicopter became the target of small arms and automatic weapons fire during a second approach, he skillfully came to a landing and dauntlessly remained in his dangerously closed position during the considerable length of time required to embark the casualties. While lifting from the zone, his aircraft sustained extensive damage from a rocket-propelled grenade, rendering its vital systems inoperative. Reacting instantly, First Lieutenant Anderson, displaying superior aeronautical ability, skillfully maneuvered his crippled aircraft back to the landing zone where, because of the lack of control response, it over flew the site and slid down a slope into a ravine. Although mortar rounds and hand grenades from approaching hostile units were impacting all around him, First Lieutenant Anderson immediately commenced disembarking the casualties and removed from the aircraft all equipment that would be of value to the enemy. Despite a painful injury, he then assisted in carrying the wounded Marines to a friendly unit at the top of a hill. Throughout the night, the Marine position came under intense fire and repeated ground attacks which First Lieutenant Anderson countered by directing fixed wing air strikes into the surrounding area. The following returning, after rapidly assessing the situation and realizing that any aircraft approaching the position would be extremely vulnerable to hostile fire, he directed the movement of the casualties to an alternate location, ensuring that all injured Marines were aboard medical evacuation helicopters before embarking himself. By his courage, initiative and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, First Lieutenant Anderson was instrumental in saving the lives of several fellow Marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.