The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

BRONZE STAR MEDAL to

         PRIVATE FIRST CLASS FRANCISCO V. VELO

             UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

For service as set forth in the following

    CITATION:

           "For heroic achievement in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam while serving as a Machine Gunner with Company F, Second Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division.  On 19 May 1968, Company F was conducting a search and destroy operation near the Khe Sanh Combat Base when the Marines suddenly came under intense fire from a large North Vietnamese Army force.  Alertly observing a Marine fall wounded in an area dangerously exposed to the hostile fire, Private First Class VELO ran accross seventy-five meters of fire-swept terrain to aid his comrade. Arriving at the side of the injured man,  he observed a hostile machine gun emplacement nearby. Reacting instantly, he delivered a heavy volume of fire and silenced the position. Disregarding his own safety, he skillfully administered first aid to the casualty and, utilizing covering fire from a tank, assisted the Marine to a covered position. Subsequently when the enemy launched an aggressive assult on an adjacent platoon, Private First Class VELO fearlessly moved about the fire-swept area distributing ammunition to the Marines of the friendly unit. His heroic and timely actions inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in his unit accounting for sixty-seven North Vietnamese soldiers confirmed killed. Private First Class VELO's courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.”

         Private First Class VELO is authorized to wear the Combat “V”

                  FOR THE PRESIDENT

V

                               H. W. BUSE, JR.

                  LIEUTENANT GENERAL, U. S. MARINE CORPS

     COMMANDING GENERAL, FLEET MARINE FORCE, PACIFIC

Private First Class Francisco V. Velo