The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal Earl L. Inks (MCSN: 1986563), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as an Automatic Rifleman with Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam on 21 March 1966. While serving with the Second Platoon, Lance Corporal Inks was participating in a search and destroy operation when an adjacent squad became pinned down by intense and accurate sniper and machine gun fire. Without regard for his own safety, Lance Corporal Inks moved forward into the open area to assist the besieged Marines. After advancing some 200 meters across an open rice paddy under heavy fire, he spotted the hedge grove position of a sniper who had already killed one Marine and wounded another. With dauntless courage and daring aggressiveness, Lance Corporal Inks crawled toward the sniper in front of the pinned down squad, completely exposing himself to enemy fire. When he had maneuvered to within fifty meters of the Viet Cong, he lost sight of him. Jumping to his feet, he drew the sniper’s fire and thus relocated him. Lance Corporal Inks promptly killed the sniper and returned to his unit, where he assisted in the evacuation of the wounded. By his courageous action, outstanding initiative and selfless devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Inks upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.