The
President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting
the
SILVER STAR MEDAL to
PRIVATE
FIRST CLASS ROGER D. McCANN
UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving
as a Squad Leader with Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines,
First Marine Division in connection with combat operations
against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam.
On
11 September 1969, Company I was assaulting enemy positions
in a tree line about one mile west of the An Hoa Combat Base
when the Marines came under intense hostile small arms, machine
gun, and automatic weapons fire.
Fearlessly
maneuvering his squad to within fifteen meters of the
enemy positions, Private First Class McCann slowly began to
advance toward the hostile force under the covering fire of
an adjacent squad. Crawling forward alone, through both
enemy and friendly fire, he reached the tree line and destroyed
a hostile rifle position.
Continuing
into the tree line, he and one of his men managed to silence
an enemy rocket-propelled grenade position before Private
First Class McCann was wounded. Undaunted, he valiantly
rushed a machine gun position and killed the enemy machine
gunner in hand-to-hand combat. Then, despite his painful injury,
he returned to the edge of the tree line, brought his squad
into it and secured the right flank, enabling the Marines
to overrun the remaining hostile positions.
His
heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and
were instrumental in the defeat of the enemy force.
By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering
devotion to duty in the face of greatest personal danger,
Private First Class McCann upheld the highest traditions of
the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.
FOR
THE PRESIDENT
H.W.
BUSE, JR.
LIEUTENANT
GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS
COMMANDING
GENERAL, FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC
