The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal William Francis Costello (MCSN: 2097787), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces while attached to and serving with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, THIRD Marine Division, on 4 March 1966. During Operation UTAH, Company F became engaged in an intense fire fight with a well organized, well entrenched enemy force. As the Company advanced, they came under vicious machine gun and automatic weapons fire. Lance Corporal Costello, serving as an Informational Service representative, could easily have reported the action from a covered position. Instead, he courageously chose to subject himself to the ferocious enemy fire and calmly helped Marines load magazines. As the Company began to sustain casualties, Lance Corporal Costello, seeing a wounded Marine, unhesitatingly defied the grave personal danger, rushing to his aid. Still ignoring the devastating hostile fire, Lance Corporal Costello went to the aid of a man who was severely burned with white phosphorous. Exposing himself to the hostile fire and completely disregarding his own safety, Lance Corporal Costello made a mud pack and applied it to the man’s burns. In so doing, he undoubtedly saved his fellow Marine’s life. By his courage, selfless devotion to his comrades and aplomb under fire, Lance Corporal Costello upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.