The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Gunnery Sergeant Lawrence Harville (MCSN: 1640020), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company M, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 10 May 1968 while participating in Operation Houston II in Thuan Tien Province, Gunnery Sergeant Harville’s unit came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from a well entrenched force of North Vietnamese Army Regulars. Reacting instantly, he deployed his platoon along a ridgeline and displacing his support weapons to more advantageous positions directed the combined fire of his personnel on the hostile emplacements until he was ordered to withdraw and reorganize. Subsequently, Gunnery Sergeant Harville and two fellow Marines moved into the hostile area to reconnoiter the enemy positions. Maneuvering to within fifty meters of the fortified emplacements, the Marines came under heavy enemy fire, wounding his two comrades. Ignoring the intense fire, he courageously completed two trips across the fire-swept terrain carrying the wounded Marines to more protected positions and disregarding his personal safety, returned to the hazardous area. After silencing the fire from one emplacement with hand grenades, he began to move forward and was killed by enemy small arms fire. By his extraordinary courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty in the face of extreme personal danger, Gunnery Sergeant Harville was instrumental in the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.