The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lance Corporal Edward James Wolfendale (MCSN: 2328859), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with First Platoon, Company I, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam. On 22 February 1969, an element of Lance Corporal Wolfendale’s platoon came under heavy fire from several hundred North Vietnamese Army regulars manning an extensive and well-fortified bunker complex near the village of La Chau 2. Lance Corporal Wolfendale was among the first to volunteer for a reaction force to come to the aid of the vastly outnumbered Marine force. After three days of continual assaults, artillery fire and air strikes, the Marines had destroyed all but one of the enemy bunkers which had been raining fire down on Lance Corporal Wolfendale’s platoon. The enemy bunker had four wounded Marines, without ammunition, pinned down in a slight depression approximately thirty meters in front of the bunker. Observing the situation, Lance Corporal Wolfendale, on his own initiative and without hesitation, left the relative safety of his own position and traversed the fire-swept terrain in order to come to the aid of his fellow Marines. Realizing that the wounded Marines could not be rescued unless and until the enemy bunker was destroyed, Lance Corporal Wolfendale, who was armed with a single Light Anti-tank Assault Weapon (LAAW), positioned himself for a shot that would silence the enemy position. Recognizing that firing from the prone position would likely not be effective, Lance Corporal Wolfendale, in complete disregard for his personal safety, deliberately exposed himself to the enemy fire that had now become concentrated on him so that he might fire his LAAW from a more effective kneeling position. Ignoring the deadly accurate small arms and automatic weapons fire impacting around him, Lance Corporal Wolfendale continued to kneel while squarely in the enemy’s sights to make sure that his one shot would destroy the remaining bunker. Lance Corporal Wolfendale was killed moments later by an enemy Rocket Propelled Grenade. His gallantry under fire, however, enabled the rest of his platoon to destroy the bunker and evacuate the wounded Marines. Lance Corporal Wolfendale’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.