Six Decades Later, Marine Vietnam Veteran Finally Awarded Silver Star

Lance Cpl. Milo W. Plank Jr., a Marine Corps veteran, was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery on August 18, 1965. During Operation Starlite, Plank’s tank platoon landed south of Chu Lai, Vietnam, and initially encountered no resistance. Later, machine-gun fire hit Plank’s M48 tank, wounding the loader.

Peering out from the driver’s hatch, Plank saw a Viet Cong fighter aiming at his comrades. He quickly neutralized the threat with his .45-caliber pistol and took out two more enemy soldiers. Discovering a trench full of Viet Cong fighters, Plank emptied his pistol into it and warned fellow Marine Cpl. Robert O’Malley, who bravely engaged and eliminated the threat, saving many lives.

On May 29, 2024, in Boise, Idaho, Marine Col. William Chairsell awarded the Silver Star to the now 77-year-old Plank. Despite injuries and destroyed tanks, Plank’s team continued their mission, exemplifying extraordinary bravery during the Vietnam War.