The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain John David Carr (MCSN: 0-83158), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company L, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 18 January 1968, Captain Carr’s unit was conducting a search and destroy operation near An Dinh in Quang Tri Province, when the Marines came under intense automatic weapons fire from a well camouflaged force of North Vietnamese Army Regulars. Reacting instantly, he skillfully deployed his unit and directed a heavy volume of return fire at the entrenched enemy. After withdrawing temporarily to allow artillery fire to be brought to bear on the hostile force, he was informed that numerous Marine casualties still lay at the point of initial contact. Obtaining several hand grenades, he unhesitatingly moved forward to aid the wounded Marines. Observing several injured men pinned down in a crater forward of his position, he courageously moved toward their location, firing his weapon and throwing grenades, personally killing two of the enemy. Then obtaining an M-79 grenade launcher, he brought accurate grenade launcher fire to bear on the enemy and coordinated armed helicopter support, suppressing the hostile fire sufficiently to allow the evacuation of casualties. Under the cover of friendly small arms and artillery fire, he then directed the evacuation of the wounded. When his unit subsequently came under a heavy enemy mortar attack, he continued to move throughout the area until he was seriously wounded by the hostile fire and evacuated. By his resolute courage, inspiring leadership and selfless devotion to duty in the face of extreme peril, Captain Carr was instrumental in his unit inflicting 116 enemy confirmed killed and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.