The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal Larry J. Francis, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Team Leader with Combined Action Platoon 4-2-3, III Marine Amphibious Force, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. In the early morning hours of 1 July 1970, Lance Corporal Francis, leading an eight-man patrol, initiated an ambush against a force of forty North Vietnamese Army soldiers. The enemy immediately counterattacked the friendly unit in an attempt to break out of the ambush. During the ensuing fierce fire fight, Lance Corporal Francis sustained several serious wounds in the chest, back, and arms from automatic weapons fire. Realizing that his team-s position was untenable, he painfully crawled to a forward location and detonated two directional mines in the path of the enemy and, in a vigorous defense of the friendly emplacement, utilized his rifle to kill two hostile soldiers who were attempting to overrun the position. After requesting a reaction force to assist his team, he then dragged himself and a radio to a location from which he could most effectively guide the relief unit and although weak from the loss of blood and in intense pain, thoroughly briefed the commander of the relief force regarding the tactical situation and strength of the enemy force before allowing himself to be medically evacuated. His heroic and determined actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in preventing his team from being overrun. By his courage, superb leadership, and selfless devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Lance Corporal Francis contributed significantly to the subsequent defeat of the numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.