The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Phillip Wayne Morris (MCSN: 2257704), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Sergeant with Company F, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 21 September 1967, while conducting a search and destroy mission during Operation KINGFISHER, Company F came under intense enemy automatic weapons, mortar and artillery fire from a large North Vietnamese Army force near Con Thien. In the ensuing fire fight, the Marines sustained numerous casualties, many of whom were lying in an area dangerously exposed to the hostile fire. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Sergeant Morris, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, unhesitatingly maneuvered through the fire-swept area to reorganize his unit and direct their fire against the well fortified enemy positions. Continuously throughout the day, he exposed himself to the enemy fire to control and direct the efforts of his unit and on two occasions, fearlessly crawled to within thirty feet of the enemy positions to assist seriously wounded Marines to a place of relative safety. Courageously moving about through the heavy volume of hostile fire, he skillfully deployed his platoon and successfully repulsed the enemy’s repeated attempts to overrun his company’s positions. His heroic actions and superior leadership were an inspiration to all who observed him and undoubtedly saved the lives of several Marines. By his courage, bold initiative and unfaltering devotion to duty at great personal risk, Sergeant Morris upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.