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 Specialist Fourth Class Richard W. Paland (ASN: RA-11757302), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Fourth Class Paland distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 24 March 1969 as Assistant Commander of Company 323, 2d Battalion, 3d Mobile Strike Force Company, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission deep in War Zone “D”. When the battalion made contact with a numerically superior, combined Viet Cong/North Vietnamese Army force and became surrounded after thirty minutes of heavy fighting, Specialist Paland braved the enemy fire to organize his men into defensive positions. On three occasions, during lulls in the battle, he accompanied another American in leading patrols to test the foe’s strength and find a way out of the encirclement. In the third attempt he and his element fought through two hundred meters of hostile territory, but they were stopped by intense fire from firmly entrenched positions. A third American arrived with reinforcements and Specialist Paland was preparing to assault when the communists launched a fierce counterattack, firing a rocket-propelled grenade which killed one American and seriously wounded Specialist Paland and the remaining American. Despite his injuries, Specialist Paland managed to rally his men, maintain radio communications with the battalion commander, and supervise an orderly withdrawal. Specialist Fourth Class Paland’s gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.