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 pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Staff Sergeant Forrest Lloyd Smith, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 28 May 1969 while serving as a platoon sergeant with Company D, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while conducting a reconnaissance in force operation in dense jungle, the company came under intense small arms, automatic weapons, heavy machine gun, and rocket propelled grenade fire from a heavily fortified enemy force. Upon learning that the platoon leader had been wounded by a direct hit on his vehicle, Sergeant Smith unhesitatingly ran to the disabled vehicle to survey the damage and ensure that all of the wounded were treated and evacuated. When he realized that the vehicle’s communications equipment had failed, Sergeant Smith, disregarding the hostile fusillade, ran from one vehicle to another to organize his platoon for an assault on the enemy fortifications. As darkness began to fall, he directed his men in organizing a night defensive position. When an officer arrived to take charge of the platoon Sergeant Smith, though he had been wounded in the fire fight, returned to his vehicle to lead an attack on the remaining hostile positions. While firing a machine gun from atop his vehicle, he was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy fire. Staff Sergeant Smith’s courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.