The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private First Class Joseph Mickey Whittington (MCSN: 2408757), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Rifleman with Company H, Second Battalion, Third Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 14 May 1968, Company H was dispatched to relieve a company which had been ambushed near Khe Sanh on National Route Nine. As Point Man, Private First Class Whittington was leading the forward platoon when it came under heavy automatic weapons and small arms fire, wounding three Marines. Reacting instantly, he maneuvered to the trench beside the road and moved forward until he had outflanked the enemy position. Single-handed, he twice assaulted the hostile emplacement but was driven back by the intense fire. During a third assault, he had advanced extremely close to the enemy when he realized that he had expended his ammunition. Returning to a rear area, he obtained another weapon and additional ammunition and again fearlessly exposed himself to the heavy fire to assault the enemy position, killing three North Vietnamese soldiers. As a result of his aggressive fighting spirit and determination, he disrupted the enemy ambush and enabled the remainder of his unit to advance and destroy the hostile force while personally accounting for seven enemy dead. By his dauntless courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty, Private First Class Whittington upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.