The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

SILVER STAR MEDAL posthumously to

2ND LIEUTENANT PHILLIP E. PRINCE

United States Marine Corps

For service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

    "The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant [then Sergeant] Phillip E. Prince, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as the Senior Advisor/Marine Squad Leader of Combined Action Platoon P2 and 4, III Marine Amphibious Force in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. Early on the morning of 11 May 1967, Second Lieutenant Prince was located with his unit in Trieu Ai Village in Quang Tri Province when the friendly force came under an intense attack from a reinforced company-size North Vietnamese Army unit with attached sappers. Reacting instantly, Second Lieutenant Prince quickly rallied his small force, which consisted of two Marine rifle squads and twenty Vietnamese Popular Forces soldiers, and fearlessly directed them as they defended their compound against the attackers. With complete disregard for his own safety, Second Lieutenant Prince repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire as he rushed across the fire-swept terrain from one position to another, simultaneously directing the fire of his men and Marine supporting arms from the Dong Ha Combat Base, and assisting to extinguish fires ignited within the compound by enemy ordnance. When the ammunition storage bunker caught fire and the remaining ammunition within the compound was threatened, Second Lieutenant Prince leaped on top of the bunker and further exposed himself to enemy fire as he daringly battled the blaze until he brought it under control, thereby saving his unit's major source of ammunition. Although the enemy made several attacks against the perimeter during the one hour fire fight, the defense held and the enemy force was repulsed. Determined to exploit any advantage gained by forcing the enemy to withdraw, Second Lieutenant Prince then organized a reaction force and led it out of his compound to secure the area outside the defensive perimeter and to clear a landing zone for medical evacuation helicopters. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in defeating the hostile force. By his courage, aggressive leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Second Lieutenant Prince upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service."