The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Corporal James Louis Tubbs, Jr. (MCSN: 2226985), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Rifleman with Company C, First Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 22 January 1968, during a patrol near an outpost north of the Cua Viet River, Corporal Tubbs volunteered to serve as point man for a squad assigned to move across a large open area and reconnoiter a tree line. As the Marines neared the objective, they suddenly came under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire. Alertly observing a North Vietnamese soldier preparing to direct machine gun fire at a friendly position, Corporal Tubbs killed him with an accurate burst of rifle fire. During the ensuing fire fight, he repeatedly disregarded his own safety to locate and destroy hostile positions. On one occasion, he threw a hand grenade directly into an enemy bunker, effectively silencing the hostile fire from the emplacement. When a Marine was rendered unconscious by an exploding grenade, Corporal Tubbs aggressively moved forward and pinned down the enemy with accurate fire, killing two more hostile soldiers, while several Marines advanced and evacuated the wounded man. As his squad withdrew across 100 meters of open terrain, Corporal Tubbs continuously exposed himself to enemy fire in order to provide effective covering fire for his companions. His heroic actions were instrumental in saving the life of a fellow Marine and in his unit accounting for eight North Vietnamese soldiers killed. By his extraordinary courage, bold initiative, and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Corporal Tubbs upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.