The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal [then Lance Corporal] Jack L. Patton (MCSN: 2316260), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gun Squad Leader with Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 25 January 1968, Corporal Patton was accompanying a reinforced platoon on a search and clear mission along National Route Nine where a Marine truck convoy had been ambushed the previous day. The platoon had moved along the column to the last vehicle and was approaching a bridge when it came under intense automatic weapons and machine gun fire from approximately twenty-five entrenched North Vietnamese soldiers. The initial burst of fire killed two Marines and halted the platoon’s advance. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Corporal Patton unhesitatingly manned an M-60 machine gun and delivered effective fire, killing two enemy soldiers as he aggressively advanced. As the remainder of his company moved up to his position, he left his machine gun with a companion and removed his body armor and helmet. Carrying several hand grenades, he then crawled across an exposed road to within twenty feet of a North Vietnamese soldier who had been throwing grenades at the pinned down Marines. After throwing his grenades into the hostile emplacement, he returned to obtain additional grenades and courageously made three trips across the fire-swept terrain until he had destroyed the enemy position. As a result of his initiative and aggressive actions, the Marines were able to defeat the North Vietnamese force and kill nine enemy soldiers. By his courage, bold initiative and unfaltering devotion to duty at great personal risk, Corporal Patton upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.