The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Andrew L. Jones, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Reconnaissance Man with First Force Reconnaissance Company, First Reconnaissance Battalion, FIRST Marine Division in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 23 April 1969, Private First Class Jones’ team was clandestinely observing a major North Vietnamese Army supply route west of An Hoa in Quang Nam Province when the Marines sustained several casualties after coming under a ground assault by an estimated hostile platoon supported by a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire Although seriously wounded himself, Private First Class Jones steadfastly delivered intense suppressive fire upon the advancing hostile soldiers then, realizing the necessity for additional firepower, he crawled across the hazardous terrain to recover a grenade launcher from a casualty and deliver it to his patrol leader. Observing a severely injured an dazed comrade wandering through the fire-swept area, Private First Class Jones ignored the extreme pain of his own wounds as he assisted the man to a place of relative safety, administered first aid, and provided covering fire for his comrade. Disorganized by the determined Marine defense, the enemy soldiers commenced a withdrawal from the immediate area and, in a last desperate attempt to destroy the patrol, set a series of brush fires which quickly spread toward the friendly emplacement, and Private First Class Jones, after rescuing a casualty from the flames, tried to extinguish the fires with his jacket. On the point of collapse from exhaustion and the severity of his injuries, he was forced to cease these efforts and, determined to protect his more critically wounded fellow Marines, propped himself against a tree as he resolutely continued firing upon the enemy until a reaction force and medical evacuation helicopters arrived. His heroic efforts inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in saving his comrades from further injury or possible death. By his courage, selfless initiative and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Private First Class Jones upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.