The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant Richard L. Daerr, Jr. (MCSN: 0-95297), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Platoon Commander, Company L, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 20 and 21 May 1967, during Operation HICKORY, Second Lieutenant Daerr’s platoon was on point moving to relieve a rifle company which was surrounded by elements of the North Vietnamese Army’s 324B Division. His platoon was ambushed by a dug-in North Vietnamese blocking force and was quickly enveloped by the enemy from both flanks. All personnel to the front of his position were either wounded or killed by enemy automatic weapons and machine gun fire, and grenades. Second Lieutenant Daerr immediately established a base of fire and evacuated the wounded Marines to safe ground. After the company had established a defensive perimeter, he initiated a second assault, exposing himself to intense enemy fire while encouraging his men to move forward to break through to the encircled rifle company and to recover the dead and wounded. Through his determination and fighting spirit, the bodies of a M-60 machine gun crew and its weapon were retrieved under heavy enemy fire. During a third attack to dislodge the enemy blocking force, when his radio operator was knocked senseless by an enemy bullet which had hit his helmet, Second Lieutenant Daerr dragged the Marine back to safety inside the company’s defensive perimeter. At daybreak, he crawled forward of the company’s lines to adjust mortar fire onto an enemy mortar team and its supporting infantry unit. When the company’s 60 millimeter mortar fire lifted, he and his platoon assaulted the North Vietnamese positions with small arms, bayonets, and grenades. The enemy force was swiftly dispatched, the body of a Hospital Corpsman was recovered, and contact was reestablished with the rifle company that had been encircled. By his extraordinary heroism in the face of extreme danger, untiring efforts, and loyal devotion to duty, Second Lieutenant Daerr reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.