SILVER STAR MEDAL to LANCE CORPORAL JOHN R. ERON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS For service as set forth in the following CITATION: FOR THE
PRESIDENT V. H. KRULAK LIEUTENANT
GENERAL, U. S. MARINE CORPS COMMANDING
GENERAL, FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting
the
For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Squad
Leader with Company M, Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine
Division in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of
Vietnam. On 16 March 1968, Lance Corporal Eron’s unit was conducting a
search and destroy operation near Con Thien when the Marines suddenly came
under intense hostile fire from a numerically superior North Vietnamese
Army force. Reacting instantly, Lance Corporal Eron directed his men’s fire
into the hostile emplacements and silenced the enemy fire. As he maneuvered
his squad forward toward a tree line, the unit again came under intense
fire and several men were wounded. Realizing the seriousness of the
situation, he immediately delivered a heavy volume of fire at the enemy
emplacements and directed his men to withdraw to covered positions. Under
covering fire from his men, he unhesitatingly moved about the fire-swept
terrain and carried the casualties to relatively safe positions. As he
moved the wound men from the hazardous area, he threw hand grenades into
the hostile emplacements and personally accounted for several enemy
soldiers confirmed killed. Ignoring the enemy rounds impacting near him,
Lance Corporal Eron skillfully administered first aid to the injured men
while simultaneously directing his men’s fire at the enemy force. By his
courage, superb leadership and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of
great personal danger, Lance Corporal Eron undoubtedly saved the lives of
several Marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and
of the United States Naval Service.
