William ANDREW Johnson

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to William Andrew Johnson, Builder Constructionman, U.S. Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company C, U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVEN (NMCB-7), 21st Construction Regiment, Detail JULIETT, in construction support of the Seventh Marine Regiment, engaged in armed conflict against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong Communist aggressors at Fire Support Base ROSS, I Corps Tactical Zone, Republic of Vietnam. On 6 January 1970 at approximately 0130, Fire Support Base ROSS received a coordinated enemy mortar and sapper attack which lasted until 0500. Constructionman Johnson immediately proceeded from his berthing hut where CHICOM grenades exploded to set up squad defensive positions. From these positions his squad repelled a second wave of sappers and denied the enemy their objective of overrunning the fuel point. Upon mustering his men, the squad leader discovered three Seabees were missing and hearing cries from their hut, Constructionman Johnson returned and removed two men who had been seriously wounded by shrapnel. One squad member was still missing whereupon Constructionman Johnson again returned to the berthing hut through a continuing barrage of incoming mortar and small arms fire. He searched under the hut but was unable to locate the missing man. He left the protection of the lines four times, returned to the hut, put out fires and searched for wounded personnel. Constructionman Johnson’s heroic actions in exposing himself to incoming mortars and small arms fire to assist wounded shipmates were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.