Joseph HENRY Picarelli

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Joseph Henry Picarelli (US-52687949), Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force on 28 April 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Fourth Class Picarelli distinguished himself while serving as a radio-telephone operator for the company commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. On that date, his company had set up a night position when they suddenly came under intense small arms fire from an enemy force of undetermined size. While his company commander was busy on the company frequency, Specialist Picarelli established communications with battalion headquarters and quickly requested gunships for defense of the company perimeter. As the gunships arrived on station, they were unable to determine the company’s perimeter due to the total darkness and density of the vegetation. Upon hearing the problem from the gunships, Specialist Picarelli, with disregard for his own safety, took a strobe light and moved about the company’s perimeter, marking the friendly positions. Although he was wounded by shrapnel from an enemy hand grenade, he courageously continued to exposed himself to the hostile fire as he marked his perimeter until the enemy force was repelled and forced to retreat. Specialist Fourth Class Picarelli’s unquestionable valor while in close combat with a numerically superior enemy force and his avid devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.
Headquarters, Americal Division, General Orders No. 3254 (June 17, 1968)