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 (Army Award) to Captain Peter David Caldarelli (AFSN: FR-78566), United States Air Force, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force while serving with the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Caldarelli distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 19 March 1969 while serving as a Forward Air Controller supporting a search-and-clear operation by troops of the Americal Division. Two companies of the Division were immobilized by heavy automatic weapons fire as they assaulted the hilltop fortifications of an enemy force. When the friendly units attempted to pull back from the hill to call in air support, many casualties were sustained and a number of men were cut off and pinned down on the hill by intensive suppressive fire. Captain Caldarelli arrived over the battle area in his spotter aircraft and made repeated passes over the hill in order to locate precisely the friendly soldiers left on the hillside and mark accurately the enemy’s defensive emplacements. He then directed tactical aircraft in pinpoint bombing runs on the hostile positions. Midway in the air strikes, while Captain Caldarelli was again marking the hostile positions, his remaining smoke rockets failed to fire, so he circled the hilltop fortresses at exceptionally low altitudes under heavy ground fire and re-marked the enemy positions by dropping smoke grenades from the window of his aircraft. The accuracy with which Captain Caldarelli marked the hostile fortifications and directed the tactical aircraft in their bombing runs broke the enemy’s resistance, enabled those soldiers stranded on the hill to pull back, and opened to the friendly units an unobstructed approach to the hilltop. Captain Caldarelli’s gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force.