The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major George Hudspeth Gentry, Jr. (MCSN: 0-53634), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces while serving as the Executive Officer of the Second Battalion, Seventh Marines during Operation HARVEST MOON in the Republic of Vietnam on 18 December 1965. When Major Gentry’s Rear Command Group was surrounded and subjected to a heavy volume of accurate enemy fire, he calmly rallied the Marines in the area, encouraging them to return fire, and made a rapid estimate of the situation. Having accurately reported to the Battalion Commander, informing him of the pressure on his group, Major Gentry fearlessly exposed himself to the heavy fire in order to determine the exact location of the enemy positions and to adjust artillery fire on them. Once he had the artillery on target, the Viet Cong moved closer to escape its effects, thereby rendering the delivery of the artillery fire hazardous to the Marine positions. Undaunted by this turn of events, Major Gentry continued to bring the fire ever closer to his own exposed position and thereby broke up the enemy encirclement. Though wounded in the hand during this action, he continued to operate his radio and relay the necessary changes in range and deflection in a quiet and efficient manner. Upon arrival of reinforcements, he directed the movement of dead and wounded to the relative safety of the main Battalion position. Once there, he organized the Battalion Command Post in such a manner as to support the entire operation, both tactically and logistically, until the victory was achieved. By his courage under fire, exceptional professional ability and his selfless devotion to duty throughout, he served as an inspiration to all. By his heroic actions in the face of great personal risk, Major Gentry upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.