The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Roger Phillip Keister (MCSN: 2180551), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Team Leader with Company E, First Reconnaissance Battalion, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. In the early morning hours of 1 August 1968, Corporal Keister was in command of a sixteen man reconnaissance team manning an observation post on Hill 200 southwest of DaNang when his unit suddenly came under heavy attack by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force utilizing anti-tank rockets, hand grenades, bangalore torpedoes and small arms. During the initial moments of the attack, Corporal Keister was hurled fifteen meters down the side of the hill by the explosion of a satchel charge which destroyed his bunker. Quickly regaining his feet, he returned to the top of the hill and, despite being wounded several times, continued to disregard his own safety and move from one position to another, shouting words of encouragement to his men an directing their fire at North Vietnamese soldiers inside the perimeter. Realizing that the position was rapidly becoming untenable, he ordered his men to move down the southern slope of the hill and fearlessly exposed himself to intense fire as he moved about the hazardous area ensuring that all of the Marines were withdrawing. When a seriously wounded man became entangled in the protective wire, Corporal Keister ordered the remaining Marines out of the perimeter while he selflessly remained with the casualty. Subsequently observing the enemy force commencing a withdrawal, he unhesitatingly rushed back up the hill and killed three hostile soldiers with his rifle. Then, rallying his team, he assisted in treating the wounded until a reaction force arrived later that morning. By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unswerving devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Corporal Keister upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.