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 pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Staff Sergeant Ronald Leroy Kent (ASN: RA-17601585), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 20 January 1967 in the Republic of Vietnam. Staff Sergeant Kent was serving as a squad leader with the Reconnaissance Platoon of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, on a search and destroy mission in Binh Dinh Province. Moving up a hill through heavy underbrush, the platoon made contact with a North Vietnamese Army force in fortified positions. In the initial moments of the engagement the point squad and a second squad were pinned down by a devastating volume of automatic weapons and sniper fire. Staff Sergeant Kent, seeing the desperate situation of his men, unhesitatingly rushed forward, firing aggressively on the enemy. Almost instantly, he was wounded by small arms fire but continued to advance, placing successive and accurate fire upon the enemy. So fierce was his onslaught, that the enemy was forced to concentrate on Staff Sergeant Kent’s personal assault, which enabled the pinned-down squads to maneuver to safety and renew their attack. Staff Sergeant Kent continued his gallant and unrelenting actions until he received a fatal wound. His completely unselfish heroism allowed his men to gain the tactical advantage and subsequently annihilate the enemy positions. Staff Sergeant Kent’s outstanding display of leadership, devotion to duty and personal bravery was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.