The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Jack Berkebile (NSN: 672263), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. On the evening of 23 November 1968. Lieutenant Berkebile, as Officer-in-Charge of River Division 552, deployed three patrol boats in the area of a suspected Viet Cong river crossing point. After supervising preparations which included stationing a mobile ground reaction force nearby and arranging for air cover by armed Navy helicopters, he took personal charge of the patrol and proceeded to the suspected crossing area. As the patrol neared the spot where Lieutenant Berkebile had been ambushed two night before, he directed all boats to assume maximum readiness and personally took a position from which he could see and direct the fire of his units. Suddenly heavy fire broke out from both banks. Seeing that there was no room to maneuver in the narrow canal, he led his units through the ambush despite extremely heavy fire from rockets and machine guns. From his exposed position he called in air cover and directed devastating fire from the guns of his units until mortally wounded by an enemy rocket. Lieutenant Berkebile’s heroic actions, sense of responsibility and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.