The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Bradley A. Harless, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy on 11 July 2010 while serving as Assistant Element Leader, Company B, First Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. While crossing a field, Staff Sergeant Harless’ element was caught in a combined arms ambush initiated by an improvised explosive device that severely wounded three, including his element leader. He immediately organized and led an assault on the enemy’s entrenched machine gun and mortar positions. Firing a rocket into the enemy strongpoint, he silenced a machine gun emplacement, and then cleared an adjacent compound. Hearing calls for a stretcher to assist casualties caught in the kill zone, Staff Sergeant Harless unhesitatingly sprinted several hundred meters under fire to deliver the stretcher. Once the casualty had been moved to cover, he returned to the blast site to recover a deceased Afghan, and then helped all friendly forces out of the kill zone. During the engagement, he single-handedly took out one machine gun bunker and crossed the kill zone four times under fire to ensure extraction of all casualties. By his bold initiative, undaunted courage, and complete dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Harless reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service and the United States Marine Corps.