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 Lieutenant Colonel (Armor) James H. Aarestad, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 7 June 1969 while serving as Commanding Officer of the 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date one part of the 2d Squadron was engaged by an estimated battalion-sized North Vietnamese Army force northwest of An Loc. Colonel Aarestad was flying his command-and-control helicopter when word was received of the contact. Decisively, he called for artillery, aero-rocket and tactical air-strike support. Shortly before he arrived at the scene of the contact, one of the gunships had been shot down by antiaircraft fire from a well-concealed position. Despite the danger Colonel Aarestad instructed his pilot to fly at extremely low levels over the fierce firefight to that he could better give accurate and precise direction for all of the troops involved in the action. On one of the slow banking turns he alertly spotted an enemy force moving toward one flank attempting to surprise the friendly force. Colonel Aarestad directed a counter-movement which eliminated the threat. When he saw one vehicle hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, seriously injuring three crewmen, he instructed his pilot to land as close as possible to the disabled vehicle. Then, with the help of his pilot, he carried the injured troopers to his aircraft to evacuate them to a hospital facility. For the remainder of the battle, Colonel Aarestad effectively directed his men, resulting in ninety-five enemy killed in action. Lieutenant Colonel Aarestad’s outstanding leadership and courageous actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.