The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Edwin Dalton Miller (MCSN: 1805091), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist aggressors in the Republic of Vietnam. On 17 February 1971, Sergeant Miller distinguished himself while serving as U.S. Marine Advisor to a ten man Vietnamese Navy Ranger Patrol on an operation in a dense jungle and enemy infested area of the Ca Mau Peninsula. After inserting by small boat, Sergeant Miller and the patrol were clearing a path through a heavily mined and booby trapped field in order to reach a well-fortified enemy bunker and trench complex. When the patrol was within six meters of the complex, contact was initiated with a platoon-sized enemy unit which was well entrenched. The initial enemy fire wounded Sergeant Miller and four of the Vietnamese Navy Rangers, mortally wounding their commanding officer. He then reacted in a highly professional manner, returning enemy fire and directing the actions of the remainder of the patrol. He organized them into fighting positions and led them in a slow advance toward the enemy positions. For over one hour, Sergeant Miller moved about, directing the patrol fire and providing encouragement to the heavily outnumbered friendly force in repelling the enemy attempts to overrun their position. He unhesitatingly moved forward in an attempt to reach the wounded Vietnamese leader, and continued forward despite the intense enemy fire until the concussion from the blast of a claymore mine blew him backwards. At this point, he directed the evacuation of the wounded to the extraction point. He then administered first aid to the wounded and, upon arrival of the MEDEVAC helicopter directed the removal of the wounded personnel from the area. Ignoring his wounds, he then led a reaction force back to the enemy complex to recover the fallen Vietnamese leader. Through Sergeant Miller’s inspirational and courageous leadership, the patrol suffered minimal casualties and withstood the fierce fire of an overwhelming enemy force. Sergeant Miller’s superior professionalism, devotion to duty and heroic action in the face of the enemy were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.