The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal Curtis R. Cahoon (MCSN: 2455194), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gunner with Company I, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. Early on the morning of 19 June 1969, Lance Corporal Cahoon’s squad was occupying a night defensive position at a platoon patrol base on Hill 112, approximately twelve miles southwest of DaNang. Suddenly, the Marines came under an attack from a unit of hostile sappers employing satchel charges and automatic weapons. As a result of the enemy concentrating their fire on his machine gun position, Lance Corporal Cahoon and his two teammates were seriously wounded. However, ignoring his own painful injury, Lance Corporal Cahoon fearlessly directed a heavy volume of accurate and effective machine gun fire on the hostile force, thereby enabling one of his wounded comrades to move to a covered position. Valiantly continuing, without assistance, to defend his sector of the perimeter against the advancing enemy, he was wounded a second time by the fragments of a hostile grenade. Shouting at approaching Marines to stay back, he killed one enemy soldier and steadfastly delivered a heavy volume of machine gun fire at the hostile force until reinforcements were finally able to reach his position and assist him in repulsing the remaining attackers. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in preventing his squad from being overrun by the enemy. By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Lance Corporal Cahoon upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.