3rd Marine Division

Vietnam 4/1965-5/1968

Marine Barracks, Yokosuka, Japan - 1968-1970

1st Marine Aircraft Helicopter Unit -- Vietnam

3rd Marine Division (Reinforced) - Vietnam

5th Marine Division FMF

Good Conduct Medal and one bronze star indicative of a second award for service 20 Sept. 1954 to 19 Sep. 1957 and 4 Mar. 1965 to 3 Mar. 1968.

National Defense Service Medal

Viietnam Service Medal

Rifle Expert Badge

Pistol Sharpshooter Badge

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal w/3bronze stars

Purple Heart Medal w/ribbon,w/2 stars

Brronze Star Medal w/ribbon w/1 star

Citation for the Presidential Unit Citation is as follows:

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the

THIRD MARINE DIVISION (REINFORCED)

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION: Sergeant Buster H. Omura

For extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces in the Republic of Vietnam from 8 March 1965 to 15 September 1967.

Throughout this period, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced), operating in the five northernmost provinces of the Republic of Vietnam, successfully executed its three-fold mission of occupying and defending key terrain, seeking out and destroying the enemy, and conducting an intensive pacification program.

Operating in an area bordered by over 200 miles of South China Sea coastline, the mountainous Laotian border and the Demilitarized Zone, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced) successfully executed eighty major combat operations, carrying the battle to the enemy, destroying many of his forces, and capturing thousands of tons of weapons and materiel. In addition to these major ooperations, more than 125,000 offensive counterguerilla actions, ranging from squad patrols and ambushes to company-sized search and destroy operations, were conducted in both the coastal rice-lands and the mountainous jungle inland.

These bitterly contested actions routed the enemy from his well-entrenched positions, denied him access to his source of food, restricted his freedom of movement, and removed his influence from the heavily populated areas.

In numerous operations, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced) demonstrated the great efficacy of combined operations with units of the Army of the Repulic of Vietnam.

In July 1966, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced) moved to the north to counter major elements of the North Vietnamese Army moving across the Demilitarized Zone into the Province of Quang Tri; its units fought a series of savage battles against the enemy, repeatedly distinguishing themselves and, time and again, forcing the enemy to retreat across the DMZ. Imbued with an unrelenting combat spirit and initiative and undeterred by heavy hostile artillery and mortar fire, extremely difficult terrain, incessant heat and monsoon rains, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced), employing courageous ground, heliborne and amphibious assaults, complemented by intense and accurate air, artillery and naval gunfire support, inflicted great losses on the enemy and denied him the political and military victory he sought to achieve at any cost.

The outstanding courage, resoucefulness and aggressive fighting spirit of the officers and men of the Third Marine Division (Reinforced) in battle after battle against a well-equipped and well-trained enemy, often numerically superior in strength, and the great humanitarianism constantly shown to the peoples of the Republic of Vietnam, reflected great credit upon the Marine Corps and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.