The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospitalman [then Hospital Corpsman Third Class] Robert W. Kulas (NSN: 6955783), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as a Platoon Corpsman while serving with Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 24 and 25 July 1966. As the Company moved along the top of a steep jungle covered ridge, the lead platoon came under heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire. The platoon, including the Platoon Commander and most of the noncommissioned officers, were killed, wounded, or pinned down. With complete disregard for his own safety, Hospitalman Kulas, who was in following the platoon, advanced forward to render medical treatment to the wounded. Quickly determining that the enemy fire was so heavy as to preclude moving the wounded and dead Marines to a less exposed position, he moved the most critically wounded to the center of a hastily formed company perimeter where he immediately started treating them. Throughout the nearly constant rain of 82-mm. mortar fire, Hospitalman Kulas continued to expose himself to treat the wounded and provide some protection for them by digging shallow trenches. During the night as he was making his rounds on the perimeter, Hospitalman Kulas and one of his fellow Marines repelled a probe into their position by hand-to-hand combat with a North Vietnamese soldier who was attempting to infiltrate the Company’s perimeter. By his daring actions, resourcefulness, and steadfast devotion to duty, Hospitalman Kulas reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.