The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant George Joseph Bunda (MCSN: 0-93008), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE (HMM-265), Marine Aircraft Group SIXTEEN (MAG-16), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 10 May 1968, First Lieutenant Bunda launched as Copilot aboard the third aircraft in a division of four CH-46 transport helicopters assigned to heli-lift a Vietnamese unit to an outpost west of Kham Duc in Quang Nam Province which was under attack by a numerically superior hostile force. Undaunted by the extremely heavy volume of enemy fire, he aided in maneuvering his aircraft to a landing in the fire-swept zone and disembarked his passengers. When his helicopter was severely damaged by hostile fire, he was forced to abandon his CH-46 and, after destroying all equipment of value to the enemy, quickly deployed his crew to covered positions. As a rescue helicopter was landing to extract his men, it burst into flames when struck by enemy rockets. After ensuring the safety of the downed aircraft’s crew, First Lieutenant Bunda maneuvered across the fire-swept terrain to the friendly unit’s command bunker and, with complete disregard for his own safety, repeated exposed himself to hostile fire as he obtained weapons for his men and skillfully directed their efforts in the defense of the beleaguered outpost. When the position was in danger of being overrun, he moved with the remainder of the defending force out of the hazardous area and was instrumental in maintaining the unit’s integrity during its progress through the dense jungle despite harassing enemy fire. Informed that an extraction would be attempted at dusk, he aided in selecting a landing zone and resourcefully utilized all available instruments in rapidly preparing a landing site from which the entire group was subsequently extracted. By his courage, bold initiative and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, First Lieutenant Bunda inspired all who observed him and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.