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) James E. Narrell, Jr. (ASN: 0-5240981), United States Army, for gallantry in action involving close combat against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. First Lieutenant Narrell distinguished himself as a Platoon Leader with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, on a reconnaissance in force mission conducted jointly with elements of the 25th Division, Army, Republic of Vietnam, near Xom Bao Than, Vietnam. When the allied force came under fire from a battalion of Viet Cong, the commanding officer of the company in closest contact was seriously wounded. Quickly analyzing the situation, Lieutenant Narrell moved his vehicle through a heavy volume of rocket, automatic and semiautomatic weapons fire to the forefront and took control of the company. Remaining in an exposed position atop his vehicle, Lieutenant Narrell directed the evacuation of casualties while he placed an accurate volume of suppressive fire upon the insurgents trying to overrun his position. Despite enemy artillery and a massive ground attack, Lieutenant Narrell tenaciously held his ground until his platoon was joined by the remainder of Troop L, and supporting fire was brought to bear on the enemy. When the order was given to assault, Lieutenant Narrell unhesitatingly placed his vehicle in the lead position, at the point of the wedge, and led the charge against the enemy bunkers. Despite heavy enemy fire, Lieutenant Narrell remained fully exposed to man a machine gun, both destroying enemy positions and marking them for the rest of his platoon. Through his courageous leadership, the Viet Cong battalion was overrun, and a total of 57 enemy soldiers were killed by his platoon. First Lieutenant Narrell’s extraordinary heroism in close combat against a numerically superior Viet Cong force is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.