The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Thomas Dwyer Ungar (Unger) (MCSN: 0-79467), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a pilot with Marine Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VMA-121), Marine Aircraft Group Twelve, FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. Late in the afternoon of 30 March 1968, Captain Ungar launched as Wingman on a flight of two A-4E Skyhawk aircraft assigned to provide air delivered chemical smoke to screen the emergency extraction of a friendly force which was in contact with a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force near the Demilitarized Zone. With exceptional skill, Captain Ungar flew formation on his leader, following the slow moving propeller-driven Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) aircraft, which was necessary to locate the target area because of extremely poor visibility due to low hanging clouds and impending darkness. During an extremely hazardous low altitude orbital flight in the target area while awaiting instructions to commence the mission, Captain Ungar heard and felt an explosion directly beneath his aircraft which shook the aircraft violently. After a visual check of his aircraft by the leader, who indicated that all appeared normal, Captain Ungar, realizing the urgency of the mission, chose to remain in the target area and to complete the mission if possible. He made this decision being fully aware that his aircraft might be seriously damaged and knowing that his chance of survival, in the event he should have to eject, would be very slight due to the low altitude at which he was flying and the massed enemy force on the ground. Despite these factors, the known intense enemy fire in the area, low hanging clouds in the mountainous area of the target and the low fuel state of his aircraft, Captain Ungar chose to disregard his own safety by flying his aircraft at treetop level through intense enemy ground fire to dispense the smoke necessary to effectively screen the extraction. Upon completion of the smoke run, Captain Ungar pulled his aircraft up and into the overcast to avoid the mountainous terrain and immediately circled around and again entered the target area to make a strafing run despite the fierce hostile fire he had received on his previous run. His unerring accuracy in strafing the area prevented enemy interference, and contributed immensely to the successful extraction of the friendly force. Upon return to Chu Lai Air Base an inspection of the damage to his aircraft revealed thirty holes. By his exceptional aeronautical ability, bold determination and selfless devotion immeasurably to the success of his mission and in so doing upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.