The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Albert K. Charlton (MCSN: 0-66768), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Marine Observation Squadron SIX (VMO-6), Provisional Marine Aircraft Group THIRTY-NINE, FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the evening of 21 September 1969, Lieutenant Colonel Charlton launched as Section Leader of a flight of two armed UH-1E helicopters assigned the mission of supporting the emergency extraction of a six-man Marine reconnaissance team which had sustained three casualties while heavily engaged in combat with an estimated thirty-man North Vietnamese Army force in Quang Tri Province. Arriving over the designated area, he found that adverse weather conditions which had lowered the ceiling to from 100 to 400 feet above ground level and the location of the landing zone on a small ridgeline in a narrow valley with a mountain on one side and high, steep ridges on the other would make the accomplishment of his mission extremely hazardous. After descending through the heavy cloud cover, Lieutenant Colonel Charlton completely disregarded his own safety as he executed repeated low-altitude passes through intense hostile fire and delivered his ordnance upon the enemy positions with unerring accuracy. Realizing the rapidly deteriorating weather and critical conditions of the wounded Marines required an immediate extraction attempt, he skillfully adjusted the accurate delivery of illumination flares from an OV-10 Bronco aircraft overhead, fearlessly maneuvered his gunship on repeated rocket and strafing runs in the narrow, confined valley, and delivered his ordnance with such devastating effectiveness that a transport helicopter was able to enter the precarious area and extract the beleaguered team. While continuing to deliver his ordnance on subsequent attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Charlton provided precise terrain clearance data which enabled the extraction aircraft to maneuver over the hazardous terrain in the darkness and safely lift out of the area. His gallant actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in preventing the reconnaissance team from being overrun. By his courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Lieutenant Colonel Charlton upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.