The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Michael G. Coe (MCSN: 0-101819), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company A, First Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 6 February 1968, Second Lieutenant Coe led a reaction force to assist a combined action patrol pinned down by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force in Quang Nam Province. Maneuvering his unit with great tactical skill to the area of the fierce fire fight, he fearlessly exposed himself to intense mortar and automatic weapons fire in order to more effectively direct accurate fire against the numerically superior enemy. Under his aggressive leadership, his men successfully overran the hostile positions, killing eight enemy soldiers and enabling the combined action patrol to move to more advantageous positions. Later in the day, Second Lieutenant Coe led his reaction force in an aggressive assault against a village known to be an enemy stronghold. As his unit was advancing across an open rice paddy, it came under heavy automatic weapons and machine gun fire which inflicted several casualties and temporarily pinned down the lead elements. Disregarding his own safety, Second Lieutenant Coe boldly moved forward through the fire-swept area, encouraging his men and directing their fire against the enemy. Undaunted by the enemy fire around him, he continued to move forward and led the members of his unit into the enemy held tree line. In the ensuing fire fight, Second Lieutenant Coe repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire as he moved from one position to another, shouting words of encouragement to his men and skillfully directing their fire. On several occasions, he moved across the fire-swept ride paddy to assist wounded Marines and ensure that all casualties were expeditiously evacuated. Inspired by his resolute courage and bold fighting spirit throughout the nine-hour battle, his unit continued to engage the well entrenched North Vietnamese unit, accounting for eighteen enemy confirmed killed, twenty-seven probable killed and the confiscation of a B-40 rocket launcher, numerous grenades and miscellaneous intelligence documents. By his exceptional leadership, steadfast determination and selfless devotion to duty, Second Lieutenant Coe contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.