The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal Sandy R. Reid (MCSN: 2385784), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company B, Third Reconnaissance Battalion, THIRD Marine Division in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 11 December 1968, Corporal Reid was the Assistant Patrol Leader of a six man reconnaissance team assigned the mission of capturing a North Vietnamese Army soldier after being inserted into the Demilitarized Zone. Two days later, while occupying a defensive position, the Marines heard voices coming from the direction of a nearby stream. Reacting instantly, Corporal Reid and the patrol leader were maneuvering to the area when three enemy soldiers came into view and moved toward their position. Observing that the hostile force was part of a mortar team and that capture was not practical under the circumstances, the Marines, in response to the patrol leader’s initiative, took them under fire, killing all three enemy soldiers. While his comrades provided effective covering fire, Corporal Reid fearlessly moved forward and retrieved a North Vietnamese Army 82 mm mortar tube. Directed by an aerial observer to proceed to a landing zone for extraction, he skillfully assisted the patrol leader to maneuver the team through the enemy-infested territory toward the designated location where, upon arrival, the Marines encountered two additional North Vietnamese soldiers. Even though he realized that other enemy in the area were alerted by the firing, Corporal Reid attempted to secure the surrender of the two hostile soldiers. Determined to escape, the North Vietnamese soldiers threw a hand grenade into the Marines’ position and commenced moving through the tall elephant grass. Responding immediately, the patrol leader fired at the fleeing enemy, killing one and wounding the other. Alertly observing the location of the injured man, Corporal Reid, with complete disregard for his own safety, unhesitatingly crawled into the tall grass and seized the North Vietnamese soldier, forcing him to surrender as the extraction helicopter entered the zone. By his courage, aggressive leadership and unfaltering devotion to duty at great personal risk, Corporal Reid upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.