The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Duane Vincent Sherin (MCSN: 0-100672), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company H, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam from 6 to 9 November 1967. On 6 November 1967 while conducting a search and destroy mission in Antenna Valley during Operation ESSEX, Second Lieutenant Sherin’s company came under heavy semi-automatic and automatic weapons, machine gun and mortar fire from an estimated force of two companies of North Vietnamese Army troops entrenched in the fortified village of Ap Hai (4). In the initial moments of the attack, the company sustained numerous casualties, many falling in a rice paddy exposed to enemy fire. Throughout the ensuing eighteen-hour battle, Second Lieutenant Sherin continuously exposed himself to intense enemy fire to maneuver his platoon against the numerically superior enemy and to recover his wounded companions and their equipment from the fire-swept rice paddy. He adjusted numerous air strikes to within forty meters of his position as he fearlessly moved among his men, directing their fire until they had pinned down the enemy. Then, deploying his platoon into defensive positions, Second Lieutenant Sherin organized and led a rescue party to recover wounded Marines from the exposed rice paddy. Under cover of darkness, he repeatedly crawled to within five meters of enemy positions to retrieve casualties. Working tirelessly and steadfastly throughout the night, he and his men returned all the wounded Marines and their equipment to the company perimeter, despite the constant harassment of enemy grenades and automatic weapons fire. On 8 November, Second Lieutenant Sherin led his company over 1,000 meters of unfamiliar terrain through hostile territory to reinforce a besieged Marine unit. Arriving in the early morning hours, he quickly deployed his platoon and led a search party to recover casualties and rescue widely scattered Marines pinned down by enemy fire. Under his inspiring leadership, his men returned all isolated Marines, casualties and equipment to the company perimeter within five hours. His indomitable fighting spirit and selfless concern for his fellow Marines were instrumental in saving many Marine lives and contributed immeasurably to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission. By his extraordinary courage, superb leadership and unswerving devotion to duty at great personal risk, Second Lieutenant Sherin upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.