The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the

BRONZE STAR MEDAL to

                       CORPORAL GUADALUPE RENTERIA

                    UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

For service as set forth in the following

    CITATION

  "For heroic achievement in connection with operations against

insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam while serving as a Squad Leader with Company F, Second Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division.  Early on the morning of 22 September 1968, Corporal RENTERIA's platoon was conducting a patrol in search of a suspected hostile rocket launching site in Quang Nam Province when the point man reported hearing voices coming from a tree line to his front.  After the platoon was halted, ·Corporal RENTERIA, accompanied by two other Marines, unhesitatingly moved forward and discovered a house containing numerous Vietnamese.  Alertly observing a Viet Cong armed with an automatic weapon, Corporal RENTERIA immediately delivered an accurate burst of fire that seriously wounded the hostile soldier.  With complete disregard for his own safety, he fearlessly rushed forward and threw several hand grenades into the house, forcing numerous enemy to run from their covered positions.  As his companions directed a heavy volume of fire at the fleeing Viet Cong, Corporal RENTERIA boldly approached the structure and successfully captured four hostile soldiers.  A search of the area at daylight revealed four enemy killed and two additional Viet Cong wounded and resulted in the capture of several weapons, numerous hand grenades, valuable documents and a large quantity of medical supplies.  Corporal RENTERIA's courage, bold initiative and unfaltering devotion to duty at great personal risk inspired all who observed him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service."

                                             

Corporal RENTERIA 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