The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Specialist Fourth Class John Michael Washington (ASN: US-51773324), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Division, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 29 June 1968, Specialist Washington was serving as a guard at a two-man post inside the Lai Khe Base Camp perimeter. As he walked his post alone at approximately 0100 hours, Specialist Washington suddenly noticed two individuals near the inner wire of the perimeter. He immediately ordered them to halt, first using English and then Vietnamese. The two suspected enemy soldiers continued to proceed through the wire, and Specialist Washington then fired a warning shot into the air. One of the insurgents wounded him in the arm with pistol fire and advanced rapidly toward him. Reacting quickly, Specialist Washington grabbed the nearby Viet Cong with his uninjured arm, immediately disarmed him and succeeded in subduing him. The second hostile soldier escaped during the struggle. The extraordinary perseverance and courageous initiative of Specialist Washington despite his disabling wound denied the insurgents entrance to the base camp. Specialist Fourth Class Washington’s unquestionable valor in close combat against numerically superior hostile forces is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 1st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.