The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant William E. Mendenhall (MCSN: 1533344), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as an Ordnance Noncommissioned Office with Marine Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FOURTEEN (VMA-214), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. During the early morning hours of 28 October 1965, Marine Aircraft Group Twelve, based at the Marine Corps Expeditionary Airfield at Chu Lai, was suddenly attacked by insurgent communist (Viet Cong) suicide squads in a vicious and determined attempt to destroy aircraft on the flight line. Hearing an explosion on the flight line, Sergeant Mendenhall rushed to the vicinity where a second explosion had caused an aircraft carrying heavy ordnance to be engulfed in flames. Disregarding the small arms fire and satchel charges exploding throughout the area, Sergeant Mendenhall advised the crash crew of the extremely hazardous situation and directed them to keep the fire away from the wing bombs. While the crash crew was spraying the ordnance with foam as directed, two bombs exploded in low order detonations. Observing a fire under the wing of an adjacent aircraft, Sergeant Mendenhall extinguished it before further damage could occur. Then, with complete disregard for his personal safety and with the knowledge that the remaining overheated and unstable bombs could explode at any time, Sergeant Mendenhall fearlessly removed the fuzes from the ordnance of the two aircraft and supervised and assisted in carrying the bombs away from the flight line. Due to the slick foam under the aircraft, movement was treacherous; and, in addition, jet fuel from the destroyed and damaged aircraft if ignited, could have caused an instantaneous conflagration. By his prompt and courageous actions at the risk of his own life, Sergeant Mendenhall prevented further damage to the two aircraft and thereby upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.