The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Peter Jerome Vogel (MCSN: 0-79164), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot of a UH-34D helicopter with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (HMM-163), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 31 March 1965, Captain Vogel participated in a seventeen helicopter flight transporting troops of the Fifth Vietnamese Airborne Battalion in an airborne assault in Quang Tin Province. Each of the three assault landings was met by intense fire from an estimated two insurgent communist (Viet Cong) companies armed with automatic weapons, mortars and recoilless rifles. Upon lifting off after debarking the third load of troops, Captain Vogel observed a companion aircraft which had failed to become airborne. Although his own aircraft had taken many damaging hits, and he had suffered a painful neck wound, Captain Vogel courageously landed adjacent to the stricken aircraft in order to effect a rescue of the crewmen. Realizing fully the hazardous position he was in, he fearlessly remained in the fire-swept landing zone and, ignoring the bullets hitting his aircraft, directed the rescue efforts until two crewmen were successfully rescued. Only after it was determined that further rescue attempts would be to no avail did Captain Vogel leave the landing zone. Despite his painful wound and severely damaged aircraft, he successfully flew his aircraft back to its home base. By his courageous and selfless actions, inspiring devotion to duty and exceptional aeronautical skill in the face of grave personal risk, Captain Vogel upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.