The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Peter B. Carpenter (MCSN: 0-106231), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company C, First Reconnaissance Battalion, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. During the early morning hours of 16 January 1969, Second Lieutenant Carpenter’s reconnaissance team was helilifted deep into enemy held territory in Quang Nam Province and was moving toward a suspected enemy position when automatic weapons fire and grenade detonations, originating in and around the position, mortally wounded two Marines and seriously injured another. Reacting instantly, Second Lieutenant Carpenter directed his team to deploy, with one mortally wounded Marine, to a small section of high ground to their rear while he fearlessly remained in the hazardous area in a futile attempt to remove the other mortally wounded man. Joining his team, he calmly positioned the men in effective fighting positions and, during the ensuing four hours, fearlessly moved about the dangerous emplacement, encouraging his Marines and directing their suppressive fire upon the numerically superior enemy unit. When fixed wing aircraft appeared overhead, he boldly stood in full view of the hostile soldiers and utilized a strobe light to indicate his location. As the aircraft dropped flares and raked the enemy emplacement with automatic weapons fire, Second Lieutenant Carpenter unhesitatingly left his covered position and, dashing across the fire-swept area with the Corpsman, succeeded in retrieving their fallen comrade. After returning to the team’s location, he skillfully coordinated the fire of gunships overhead and, when the hostile action had abated, maneuvered his men along a slippery stream bed toward a landing zone, going weaponless himself in order to carry one of the casualties across the treacherous terrain. Exposing himself again to remaining hostile fire, he utilized his strobe light to guide an extraction helicopter to the ground, then embarked his reconnaissance team. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in saving the lives of several Marines throughout a prolonged, critical situation. By his courage, dynamic leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Second Lieutenant Carpenter upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.