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 Colonel James B. Hickey, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 5 October 2003, while serving as Commander, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. After receiving reports that insurgent-led rioters in Bayji were in danger of overrunning several installations, Colonel Hickey immediately assembled a HMMWV combat patrol and departed from Tikrit. Arriving in the outskirts and finding the roads leading into Bayji obstructed by burning debris, he acted with complete disregard for his own personal safety, dismounting and manually clearing obstacles in order to allow the Quick Reaction Force to proceed unimpeded. Ignoring the enemy small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades impacting all around his vehicle column, he then commanded and controlled various aerial assets and ground forces in order to destroy enemy resistance and rescue the beleaguered defenders of the Bayji Civil Military Information Center. As the Quick Reaction Force secured the center and then continued forward to quell the riots, he continually engaged and suppressed enemy insurgents, ultimately leading to the capture or death of dozens of enemy fighters. His heroic leadership directly led to the relief of over 40 Soldiers and the defeat of the riots in Bayji. Colonel Hickey’s bravery under fire is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), and the United States Army.