The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Vincent Anthony Scafidi (MCSN: 2271887), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gunner with Company H, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 2 May 1968, Company H was attacking the village of Dinh To in Quang Tri Province when the Marines came under intense fire from a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force and sustained numerous casualties. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Private First Class Scafidi unhesitatingly ran through the fire-swept area to an advantageous position and delivered a heavy volume of machine gun fire into the enemy positions. Completely disregarding his own safety, he boldly remained in the open, throwing hand grenades and firing his weapon from the hip until he had destroyed several North Vietnamese bunkers, enabling his platoon to move forward. During the ensuing engagement, he repeatedly moved to the areas of heaviest contact and fearlessly exposed himself to intense fire as he assaulted and destroyed numerous hostile emplacements. When his company commenced withdrawing to more defensible terrain, Private First Class Scafidi steadfastly remained in the hazardous area and provided covering fire until all of his fellow Marines had reached more advantageous positions. By his courage, bold initiative and unwavering devotion to duty at great personal risk, Private First Class Scafidi was instrumental in the accomplishment of his unit’s mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.