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 First Lieutenant (Armor) Francis E. Egan, United States Army, for gallantry in action in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 29 April 1969, while serving as a Platoon Leader with Company M, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while conducting a reconnaissance-in-force operation in dense jungle, a combined armor and infantry task force which included Lieutenant Egan’s platoon came under intensefire from a heavily-fortified enemy base camp. In the initial contact his tank was disabled by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade and a nearby vehicle received a direct hit, wounding several of the crew. After ensuring that the members of his crew were safe, he ran through the hostile fusillade to the damaged tank, extracted the casualties and took command of the vehicle. Although the communications equipment on the tank had failed, he succeeded in organizing and leading an assault on the enemy fortifications by using hand-and-arm signals. When he had expended most of his main gun and heavy machine gun ammunition and had already destroyed five enemy bunkers and killed several hostile troops, he observed another friendly vehicle receive a direct hit from an rocket-propelled grenade. Disregarding the hostile fusillade, he ran to the damaged vehicle and quickly extracted the wounded tank commander. As he was moving another member of the crew, Lieutenant Egan came under intense automatic weapons fire. By using a heavy machine gun, he quickly eliminated the enemy emplacement. Then he took command of the vehicle and continued leading the assault. First Lieutenant Egan’s outstanding courage, devotion to duty and deep concern for the welfare of his men were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.