The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain James Allen McCarty (MCSN: 0-69975), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Battalion Advisor to the 1st Marine Battalion, Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 9 and 10 March 1965. During the afternoon and evening of 9 March, Captain McCarty, upon learning that two U.S. Marine Advisors had been wounded, left his position with the command group and moved across an exposed bridge and up a hill which was being swept by automatic weapons fire from two directions, to lend assistance to the two wounded Marines. Despite heavy enemy fire and oncoming darkness, Captain McCarty assumed radio contact with medical evacuation aircraft, selected a helicopter landing site, and assisted in evacuation of the wounded U.S. Marines as well as many wounded Vietnamese Marines. Upon completion of the evacuation, Captain McCarty rejoined his counterpart and together they directed final seizure of the hill. Captain McCarty remained awake and vigilant the remainder of the night in a driving rain directing a flare ship and U.S. air strikes. The following day, Captain McCarty moved out with the battalion to sweep the surrounding area, a process that was to continue for a week. The result of the day and night battle was a significant victory with 63 Viet Cong killed and 15 weapons captured. Captain McCarty’s courageous conduct and leadership, coupled with coolness under fire at great personal risk, served as an inspiration to the Vietnamese Marines serving with him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.