The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Armand Rene Thouvenell (MCSN: 2272239), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Machine Gun Team Leader with Company M, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 29 May 1967. While engaged in Operation PRAIRIE IV, one fire team and one machine gun team were sent to reconnoiter two enemy bunkers. Almost immediately they became pinned down in a deadly machine gun crossfire from the two enemy positions. As casualties mounted, the machine gun ran low on ammunition, and the enemy was close enough to throw hand grenades into their position. Private First Class Thouvenell, a machine gun team leader from a different squad, unhesitatingly collected nine hundred rounds of ammunition and ran to the beleaguered unit. In order to accomplish this task, he had to run directly in front of the two bunkers, in the open and fully exposed to the enemy’s devastating fire. When the team was ordered to pull back, he stayed behind to give covering fire, enabling the other members of the team to return to safety. As he exposed himself to the heavy enemy fire to effectively cover their withdrawal, he was mortally wounded. By his daring initiative, valiant fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty in the face of insurmountable odds, Private First Class Thouvenell was responsible in great measure for saving many of his comrades and thereby upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.