The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Daniel Patrick McCart (MCSN: 0-93280), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company K, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 17 March 1967, Second Lieutenant McCart’s platoon was part of a relief force moving toward the village of Gia Do in Quang Tri Province, in support of a Marine unit which was under attack by a numerically superior enemy force. As his unit neared the objective area, the left flank platoon came under intense enemy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire which inflicted numerous Marine casualties. Subsequently, Second Lieutenant McCart was directed to continue moving his platoon to the aid of the entrapped unit. Skillfully leading his men, he fought his way through 600 meters of enemy infested terrain, courageously attacking several enemy bunkers along the way. Braving small arms and automatic weapons fire, he silenced heavy fire from a Viet Cong controlled village and maneuvered his way to a machine gun emplacement which was responsible for inflicting a number of Marine casualties. After destroying the position, he joined the beleaguered unit and, finding the platoon commander wounded, took command, regrouped the forces and led a successful attack on the remainder of the enemy. He then moved the dead and wounded to a secure area and called in helicopters to evacuate the casualties. By his inspiring leadership, courageous actions and selfless devotion to duty throughout, Second Lieutenant McCart undoubtedly saved numerous Marine lives, contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and thereby upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.