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 Second Lieutenant (Infantry) James A. Castle (ASN: 0-5325540), United States Army, for gallantry in action. Second Lieutenant Castle distinguished himself on 6 November 1965, while serving as a Platoon Leader in Company B, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), in action against the enemy in the vicinity of Plei Me, Republic of Vietnam, on 6 November 1965. At approximately 1000 hours, Second Lieutenant Castle’s platoon was subjected to heavy small arms and machine gun fire by a superior Veit Cong force. Second Lieutenant Castle was one of the first to fall under the hostile sniper fire. Although severely wounded in the shoulder and ribs, he found a vantage point from which he continually directed the efforts of his platoon. Second Lieutenant Castle, realizing that his unit was surrounded and practically immobilized by the intense Veit Cong fire from well-fortified positions, immediately requested an air strike. Carefully he plotted his position for the forward air observer and marked his flans with red smoke. After four hours of combat, the insurgents were repelled, leaving 56 of their dead on the battle site. On several occasions during the course of action, Second Lieutenant Castle was almost overcome by extreme pain and loss of blood, but he refused to be evacuated. After the fighting, he was the last to be evacuated, making sure that all the wounded had been taken to a safer position. Second Lieutenant Castle’s conspicuous gallantry, perseverance, and courage in the face of an enormous handicap were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Military Service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.