The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal Samuel D. Conner (MCSN: 2122469), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces while serving with Company G, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, in the Republic of Vietnam. On the night of 13 January 1966, having remained for several hours in a fire team sized ambush position, Lance Corporal Conner and his three comrades started back to the friendly lines in accordance with pre-arranged plan. When his fire team leader alertly spotted enemy guerrillas in the distance and shouted a warning, Lance Corporal Conner and his companions boldly delivered a heavy volume of fire into what was discovered to be a forty-man force. Their concentrated fire stunned the guerrillas, causing them to retreat to the high ground in a highly disorganized state. In the face of overwhelming odds, this numerically small but fiercely determined force assaulted the enemy, applying continuous pressure. Upon reaching the high ground, the guerrillas began to rain heavy fire on the Marines and threw hand grenades into their midst, wounding the fire team leader. In response to a radioed call, the Platoon Commander arrived with reinforcements. After three enemy counterattacks had been repulsed, the four men joined forces with their fellow Marines and again assaulted the high ground, succeeding in taking their objective. Largely as a result of the actions of Lance Corporal Conner and his comrades, four Viet Cong were known to be killed; four 60-mm. mortars with eighty-one rounds of ammunition, two rifles, several grenades and assorted combat equipment were confiscated; and the fire team suffered only one slight casualty. By his heroic conduct and resolute determination in spite of serious jeopardy to his own life, Lance Corporal Conner upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.