The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Darwin Scott Stamper (ASN: RA-15740098), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Sergeant Stamper distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with Company B, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry Regiment, with an ambush patrol on 13 February 1970. He led the patrol to a dense bamboo thicket near a recently used enemy base camp area and set up an ambush overlooking the trail. But, before reaching the ambush site, the Viet Cong unit turned from the trail, passed another ambush which held fire because of the superior size of the enemy force, and headed directly toward the rear security element of Sergeant Stamper’s squad. Sergeant Stamper waited until the lead men of the enemy force were within ten meters of his rear security before giving the signal to open fire. At the same time, he instructed the rest of his patrol to shift position to bring maximum fire on the enemy, and called by radio for reinforcements. After the initial firing by the ambush patrol, the enemy regrouped and tried to flank both sides of the ambush. Sergeant Stamper successfully directed his men’s efforts in repulsing the counterattack and routing the enemy force. Staff Sergeant Stamper’s heroic actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.