The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Staff Sergeant Edward P. Kazarian (ASN: RA-19723191), United States Army, for gallantry in action involving close combat against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Staff Sergeant Kazarian distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 January 1968 while serving as the Team Leader of a 12-man long range reconnaissance patrol operating with Troop E, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment on a reconnaissance in force mission southwest of Loc Ninh, Vietnam. While following a wire down a narrow trail his team was taken under sudden automatic weapons fire from a North Vietnamese Army outpost. Sergeant Kazarian quickly rallied his men and let them in hot pursuit of the fleeing enemy calling for a platoon of armored cavalry assault vehicles to follow for added fire support. Coming upon the first bunker of battalion sized base camp the team became pinned down by sniper fire. Silencing the fire and continuing on their mission Sergeant Kazarian’s men came under intense automatic weapons fire. A grenade hurled into their midst seriously injured one man and wounded Sergeant Kazarian in the arm. Despite his injury Sergeant Kazarian braved hostile fire to move to the radiotelephone operator’s position and called for gunship support. Once the base camp had been cleared and large quantities of ammunition, documents, medical supplies and clothing had been seized. Sergeant Kazarian led part of his team and several armored cavalry assault vehicles 150 meters down the trail to the site of additional bunkers. While clearing one position Sergeant Kazarian suffered the loss of his right forearm from the explosion of a hand grenade. Despite the agonizing pain of his wound Sergeant Kazarian briefed his men on the course of action to follow in completing the mission after he was evacuated. Staff Sergeant Kazarian’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 Sates Army.