The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Hospitalman Philip Leigh Stern (Sterns) (NSN: B-114699), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Medical Corpsman attached to Company M, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in connection with military operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 6 February 1968, Company M was maneuvering toward suspected enemy positions in the village of Thanh Quit when the Marines suddenly came under intense hostile small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire and sustained several casualties. Disregarding his own safety, Hospitalman Sterns fearlessly moved across the fire-swept terrain and began rendering first aid to the wounded men. While treating a casualty, he was wounded in the ankle and became unable to walk. Steadfastly refusing medical treatment, he ignored his injury and crawled about the hazardous area, administering first aid to his comrades. When his unit was ordered to withdraw to a more defensible position, he assisted in evacuating the casualties and, utilizing a poncho, dragged a wounded man across the fire-swept terrain to a position of relative safety. Only after all casualties had been moved to covered positions, did he permit himself to be evacuated. By his courage, sincere concern for the welfare of his comrades and steadfast devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Hospitalman Sterns upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.