The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal John Jessie Jones (MCSN: 2347659), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as an Aerial Gunner with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR (HMM-164), Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 7 November 1968, Lance Corporal Jones launched as Aerial Gunner aboard a CH-46 transport helicopter assigned an emergency evacuation for elements of the Twenty-Six Marines in a mountainous area north of DaNang. Arriving over the designated location, the pilot observed that the small size of the landing zone and the rugged terrain would require a difficult hoist extraction, and as he approached the zone and the commenced a precarious hover, the aircraft came under a heavy volume of hostile fire. Alertly pinpointing the source of the enemy fire, Lance Corporal Jones suppressed the hostile weapons with accurate fire from his machine gun. While the helicopter awaited the embarkation of the casualties, an enemy round pierced the aircraft’s transmission, causing a fire and a serious oil leak. Reacting instantly, Lance Corporal Jones quickly extinguished the flames and, realizing that the oil leak could cause the helicopter to become inoperable if not contained, boldly leaned out of the aircraft and held pieces of cloth over the rupture. Although buffeted by the severe air stream and in imminent danger of being violently hurled from the helicopter, he resolutely maintained his precarious position for a period of ten minutes, until the aircraft had safely landed. His heroic and timely actions were instrumental in preventing the aircraft from crashing and in saving the lives of his comrades. By his courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Lance Corporal Jones upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.