The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Wallace R. Schmidt (MCSN: 2385350), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with Company F, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in action against North Vietnamese Army forces at Lam Xuan (East), Gio Linh Province, Republic of Vietnam on 12 March 1968. As his company was engaged in brutal, close-quarters combat, Private First Class Schmidt remained at the forefront, typically just a few yards from well-positioned and heavily armed enemy soldiers. With both sides fighting savagely throughout the day, Private First Class Schmidt repeatedly fought and crawled through withering enemy fire to first rescue a severely wounded fire team leader, then a squad leader withy multiple wounds, and later a combat photographer with ultimately fatal wounds to relative safety. As Marines and Corpsmen continued to fall from enemy fire, and despite sustaining a wound himself, Private First Class Schmidt assumed control of the immediate situation, reorganized the few able-bodied Marines who remained around him, and fearlessly led them in doggedly dragging other wounded Marines to safety. Private First Class Schmidt’s courageous actions, perseverance, and selfless devotion to duty reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.