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 Specialist Fourth Class Larry F. Frese (ASN: RA-19781942), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Detachment A-241, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Specialist Fourth Class Frese distinguished himself on 18 July 1966 while serving as an advisor to a para-military strike force company on a combat patrol near Camp Polei Kleng, Republic of Vietnam. While moving toward their objective, Specialist Fourth Class Frese’s unit was ambushed by a Viet Cong emplacement located directly to its front. Immediately after the first shot of the ambush was fired, Specialist Fourth Class Frese, with complete disregard for his safety, unhesitatingly placed himself between the patrol and the insurgents and rendered suppressive fire into the Viet Cong position, causing them to flee in panic. Specialist Fourth Class Frese prevented the patrol from sustaining any casualties. Specialist Fourth Class Frese’s extraordinary heroism in close combat against a hostile force was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.