01 Sep 2003 REMEMBERED ACROSS THE YEARS The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the SILVER STAR posthumously to DANIEL JOSEPH PIOTROWSKI Lance Corporal United States Marine Corps for service as set forth in the following CITATION: For heroic achievement in connection with operations against the enemy while serving with Company B, First Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, at Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 2 April 1966. The point man on Corporal Piotrowski's squad was wounded and pinned down by intense enemy fire in an exposed position. As the squad leader rushed to the aid of the wounded Marine, Corporal Piotrowski reacted without concern for his own safety. He immediatly set in his automatic rifle in a completely exposed position in order to lay down a base of covering fire for his two comrades. Even though under fire himself, he remained at his position and continued the protective fire until the two Marines reached safety. Corporal Piotrowski's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the cause of freedom. /s/ Paul Fritz Secretary of the Navy

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall Operation ORANGE was a search-and-destroy operation on the north and south banks of the Vu Gia River at Thuong Duc in preparation for the establishment of an Army Special Forces emplacement at Ha Tan just outside Thuong Duc village. Thirteen men died in the 02 April assault on Ngoc Kinh (2), a tiny hamlet on the south bank of the Vu Gia River, with 5 other Marines killed by mines and boobytraps during the operation. The 13 men killed at Ngoc Kinh (2) were A Co, 3rd Eng Bn LCpl Donald E. Young, Baltimore, MD (attached B/1/3) B Co, 1st Bn, 3rd Marines SSgt Thurman W. Owen, Wichita Falls, TX Sgt Donald R. Burton, Coatesville, PA Cpl Dale L. Courchane, Wenatchee, WA Cpl Julian C. Cuellar, San Antonio, TX LCpl Paul A. Haines, Canton, OH LCpl Alexander Menzies, Walworth, NY (Silver Star) LCpl Daniel J. Piotrowski, Jackson, MI (Silver Star) LCpl David G. Russell, Salem, OR LCpl Ralph M. Williams, Chicago, IL Pfc Richard H. Wright, Halstead, KS Pfc Weldon D. Moss, Ethete, WY Pfc Feliberto Villa, Ingleside, TX Lance Corporal Claude G. Lebas received the Navy Cross for his actions during the battle; the Citation for his award gives a sense of the circumstances: "heavy automatic-weapons and mortar fire ... [the] enemy fire was so intense that his covering force was driven back ..."

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