The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Richard Delyn Jackson (MCSN: 0-80223), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Commanding Officer of Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. From 29 January to 22 February 1967, during Operation PRAIRIE II, Captain Jackson led his Company and supporting units from Company B, First Amphibian Tractor Battalion in twenty search and clear missions through an extensive, enemy controlled area near the Demilitarized Zone. On 30 January, armed only with a knife, he detected a North Vietnamese soldier hiding in a spider hole and personally captured him obtaining valuable intelligence documents. Subsequently, Captain Jackson ingeniously devised a probing rod from the metal fasteners of artillery boxes and succeeded in locating numerous spider holes, explosive booby traps and supply caches. Relentlessly pursuing his search of the area, he uncovered and destroyed five booby traps and numerous punji pits which, if undetected, would have inflicted serious casualties on his company. Throughout the period of action, Captain Jackson was highly successful in leading his men in the disorganization and demoralization of an estimated Viet Cong battalion and a North Vietnamese Army company. Numerous casualties were inflicted on the enemy and large quantities of their weapons, equipment and documents were confiscated. Captain Jackson’s exceptional fortitude, selfless devotion to duty, and inspiring leadership contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission, reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.