The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal Robert M. Williamson, Jr. (MCSN: 2101017), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Tank Driver with Company B, Third Tank Battalion, THIRD Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in connection with combat operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam on 17 August 1966. In the early evening, Lance Corporal Williamson was participating in a combined tank and infantry assault on an enemy objective when small arms fire was received from the objective and a nearby village. In the assault which followed, his tank led the center of the attack. When his Tank commander observed a Viet Cong running into a bunker, Lance Corporal Williamson quickly responded by dismounting from his vehicle and pursued the enemy. As he approached the bunker, a Viet Cong armed with hand grenades emerged. Lance Corporal Williamson immediately captured him, delivered him to another Marine and returned to the bunker for a second time. Armed only with a pistol and one hand grenade, he opened the hole cover and captured three more Viet Cong who were hiding there. On his own initiative, he ventured a third time into the bunker area although continually exposed to enemy fire. Finding another closed bunker, Lance Corporal Williamson maneuvered toward it when suddenly a Viet Cong charged out and engaged him in hand-to-hand combat. In the resulting struggle he subdued the enemy by throwing him over his shoulder into a trenchline. With five enemy to his credit, he re-mounted his vehicle and continued the attack on the objective. His heroic actions were especially noteworthy in that the proximity of friendly personnel to the bunkers precluded firing on them with tank armament. The Viet Cong would almost certainly have escaped were it not for his efforts. By his courage, aggressiveness and inspiring devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Williamson upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.