(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: First Lieutenant (Infantry) Francisco Ball, Jr., United States Army, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against the enemy while serving with Troop D, 1st Squadron 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving as commander of a combat team composed of a Cavalry platoon and attached Anti-Tank Platoon, which was advancing across a rice paddy to seize an objective. Receiving intense hostile automatic weapons and mortar fire, Lieutenant Ball exposed himself to the enemy fire and adjusted fire support and supervised medical evacuation of the wounded. On three occasions he led assaults on entrenched enemy positions which were occupied by an estimated two companies of North Vietnamese. Receiving orders to with draw, Lieutenant Ball maneuvered through enemy machine gun fire to recover the body of the troop interpreter while directing a successful withdrawal without sustaining further casualties.