The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major John Lewis Clark, Jr. (MCSN: 0-4720662), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with the O-1 Detachment, Marine Observation Squadron TWO (VMO-2). Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 5 May 1968, Major Clark launched as Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) in support of a Marine unit that was heavily engaged with a large North Vietnamese Army near the Dong Ha Combat Base. Arriving over the designated area, he observed approximately 300 North Vietnamese soldiers counterattacking the Marines and immediately commenced delivering a heavy volume of fire upon the advancing enemy force. After requesting air strikes, Major Clark provided the ground unit with vital information concerning the enemy’s movement while his aerial observer adjusted artillery fire upon the hostile force. When supporting aircraft arrived, he skillfully directed the delivery of their ordinance with devastating effectiveness. Subsequently observing numerous wounded Marines who were pinned down and isolated from their unit by intense automatic weapons fire from a nearby village, he repeatedly maneuvered his aircraft through the intense hostile fire to determine the exact location and number of friendly casualties. After controlling two air strikes upon the enemy emplacements, he again exposed himself to the hostile fire while conducting several low-altitude runs to mark the positions of the wounded for medical evacuation helicopters. As the evacuation aircraft approached the landing zone, he fearlessly executed low-level passes over the village, thereby diverting the hostile fire from the helicopters as they extracted the injured Marines. After the evacuation was completed, he skillfully directed air strikes against approximately sixty fleeing North Vietnamese soldiers until his aircraft’s engine was suddenly struck by an enemy round, forcing him to return to the Dong Ha Combat Base. His bold initiative and superb airmanship inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in 305 North Vietnamese soldiers being killed. By his courage, superior aeronautical ability and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Major Clark upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.