(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Staff Sergeant William H. Cole, Jr., United States Army, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against the enemy while serving as a tank commander with the 4th Infantry Division in May 1968, in the Republic of Vietnam. Sergeant Coles company was assisting a Vietnamese Forces company which had become immobilized in the area of Linh Thuan Province, by a reinforced Viet Cong company. During the engagement, Sergeant Cole braved small arms, automatic weapons, rocket and mortar fire to advance his tank to within fifteen meters of the well-concealed enemy bunkers and destroyed them with point blank cannon and machine gun fire. On several occasions he used small arms fire, exposing himself to hostile fire. His tank was credited with eliminating 16 enemy soldiers.