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 Major (Infantry) Albert Joseph Sheehan (ASN: 0-5304263), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Major Sheehan distinguished himself while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. On 20 February 1969, Major Sheehan arrived at the scene of intense action involving a First Brigade Long Range Patrol Team and a numerically superior enemy force. Realizing contact had been broken and the platoon that had relieved the patrol was not initiating effective measures to reestablish contact and pursue the enemy, Major Sheehan was inserted and organized the friendly forces into an effective fighting group. Then directing his small force from an exposed position directly behind the point man, Major Sheehan led them towards the suspected enemy positions. After moving approximately 700 meters along a trail and discovering numerous enemy bodies and pieces of equipment, they located a clearing in the jungle and were moving cautiously through this hazardous area when they suddenly came under intense AK-47 fire. Although immobilized and separated from his support elements, Major Sheehan continually engaged the enemy protecting his group’s position with extremely accurate bursts of fire from a captured AK-47 as helicopter gunships and infantry reinforcements were directed to the scene of the intense contact. Major Sheehan’s courageous acts, aggressiveness and exemplary devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.