Should we call him “Lucky”?
Semper Fi!
Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Captain
GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Franklin Peter Eller, Jr. (MCSN: 0-67808), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as the Senior Battalion Advisor to the Fourth Battalion, Vietnamese Marine Brigade, in the hostile area of Binh Gia Village, Phuoc Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 31 December 1964. Captain Eller chose to accompany a company size patrol on an assigned mission of rescuing or recovering the remains of the crew of a U.S. helicopter shot down, although his task would normally have been assigned to the Assistant Battalion Advisor. At the crash site, the company was taken under heavy assault by an estimated Viet Cong Regiment. Despite the intense automatic weapons, small arms and mortar fire, Captain Eller calmly directed air strikes on the Viet Cong who were closing in all around him. Captain Eller was severely wounded in the nose and cheek and was partially blinded by the heavy flow of blood, however he continued to attempt to regain communications with air support. With all communication gone and faced with an overwhelming enemy, he steadied the troops and effected an orderly withdrawal. Despite his own wound, he twice refused medical evacuation until he had personally supervised the evacuation of all Vietnamese dead and wounded. His courage, exemplary leadership and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/39625
Yep