The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Joseph U. Arroyo (MCSN: 0-90455), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company I, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 28 January 1969, while participating in Operation DEWEY CANYON southwest of Quang Tri City, the Third Platoon of Company I sustained several casualties when it became pinned down by a large North Vietnamese Army force occupying well-concealed emplacements and employing hand grenades, small arms and automatic weapons. Fearlessly leading his men to the embattled area, Captain Arroyo observed that because of the thick vegetation it was impossible to utilize the full firepower of the combined units and that the enemy had fallen back to well-prepared positions from which they were utilizing crew-served weapons, thereby achieving fire superiority. Unwilling to risk additional casualties, Captain Arroyo directed the Marines to re-deploy to more tenable positions and, while providing rear security for the movement, spotted a seriously wounded man lying in proximity to the hostile emplacements. With complete disregard for his own safety, he rushed to the side of the casualty and removing his own protective jacket, placed it over his companion to prevent further injury from the enemy rounds impacting around him. While thus engaged, he sustained a serious wound in his arm from fragments of a hostile grenade but refusing to leave the wounded man, enlisted the aid of a nearby Marine to drag the casualty to a covered location. Steadfastly refusing medical attention, he then resolutely moved to a dangerously exposed location to adjust supporting artillery fire on the enemy entrenchments until he was certain that the now reinforced North Vietnamese unit could not mount an attack on the maneuvering Marine elements. After receiving first aid, Captain Arroyo maneuvered his men and the newly-arrived First Platoon into attack positions then, despite the pain of his wounds led an aggressive assault against the enemy. Inspired by his fearless leadership and bold courage, the Marines overran the North Vietnamese Army emplacements, killed twenty-one hostile soldiers, and captured several weapons and a quantity of ammunition and documents containing information of intelligence value. By his courage, heroic actions, and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Captain Arroyo defeated a determined enemy force which was attempting to infiltrate that section of the A Shau Valley under his cognizance and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.