The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal [then Lance Corporal] Charles F. Jordan (MCSN: 2445603), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Squad Leader with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 12 April 1969, during Operation OKLAHOMA HILLS, Corporal Jordan was leading his squad up a mountain trail west of DaNang when the Marines came under intense automatic weapons fire from six well-fortified hostile positions. Reacting instantly, Corporal Jordan fearlessly led his men forward across the fire-swept terrain and directed their fire against the enemy. Quickly dispatching one fire team to cut off a possible hostile escape route, he led the remainder of his men in an assault on the enemy positions. As he boldly pushed forward, he threw numerous hand grenades at the hostile emplacements and then retrieved a machine gun from a wounded comrade and delivered accurate fire at the enemy until he expended all of his ammunition. Obtaining a grenade launcher, he fired twenty rounds at the hostile force and then led his men in another attack upon the enemy. As a result of his aggressive leadership, his squad secured the hostile position, killed two North Vietnamese soldiers, and captured two weapons. Two days later, during a reconnaissance patrol, a fire team from his squad came under enemy fire and sustained one serious casualty. Quickly leading a six-man team to the point of contact, he judiciously prevented his men from rushing into the hazardous area to retrieve their comrade until he had provided a smoke screen to cover the evacuation. Later that day, while assisting the platoon commander direct tactical air strikes on the enemy, Corporal Jordan was wounded, but refused medical attention and continued aiding the platoon commander. By his courage, aggressive leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Corporal Jordan upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.