The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

 

NAVY CROSS MEDAL  to

 

STAFF SERGEANT ROBERT F. MOE

 

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

 

Co L, 3rd Battalion., 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division

 

Date Of Action: December 9, 1965

 

Citation:

 

For extraordinary heroism as Platoon Commander, Third Platoon, Company L, Third Battalion, Third Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 9 December 1965. The company was engaged in an operation to rescue the remnants of an Army of the Republic of Vietnam regiment which was overrun by the Viet Cong in Quang Tin Province. As it came under heavy small arms, automatic weapons, and accurate mortar fire on three sides from a numerically superior Viet Cong force of battalion size, Sergeant Moe, without hesitation, assaulted the objective, which contained approximately 100 Viet Cong. With full knowledge of the hazards involved and with complete disregard for his own safety, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while directing his platoon to a favorable position for the assault on the hill. Sergeant Moe secured the objective within thirty minutes of the battle, which lasted one hour and thirty-five minutes. In the face of continuing heavy enemy fire he led his platoon to a position where it could bring fire to bear on the enemy's flank. As a result of his professional abilities and stirring leadership, he penetrated and eliminated the enemy, who were in a position to attack the remaining forty or forty-five Vietnamese troops on Hill No. 43 approximately 300 meters north. By his daring actions and loyal devotion to duty in the face of personal risk, Sergeant Moe reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.