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 Master Sergeant Robert Lee Gibson, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force while serving with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, in the A Shau Valley, Republic of Vietnam, on 14 May 1967. Master Sergeant Gibson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions while serving as a special Forces Advisor to a Vietnamese unit on a combat mission deep in hostile territory. While moving through dense bamboo jungle, his unit was attacked and pinned down by a numerically superior Viet Cong Force. Master Sergeant Gibson and another advisor were cut off from the rest of the unit and surrounded, but he directed a heavy volume of fire on the insurgents, repelling repeated attempts to capture them. Ignoring the savage barrage of hostile fire, he mov ed to cover his wounded comrade trapped in the open. His fellow adviser was mortally wounded, but he continued to fight furiously against the overwhelming odds. He called in air strikes to within 50 meters of his position which momentarily disrupted the attack.. The Viet Cong attempted to assault his position butt he stood up and killed three insurgents with a deadly burst of fire at point blank range. When the enemy finally broke contact under the heavy air strikes, he moved to a landing zone secured by a relief force. He refused to be evacuated until all of his men had been cared for despite the constant threat of another hostile attack. His 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 Army.