Winning the award for the year 2007, The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Lance Corporal Mark A. Camp, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

The Citation reads as follows: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy while serving as Automatic rifleman, lst Platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Division, II, Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), in support of Operation IRAQI Freedom from 8 to 11 May 2005.

During an assault in New Ubaydi, Iraq, an enemy ambush seriously wounded four members of Lance Corporal Camp’s squad and trapped two of them in a courtyard.  Leaving his covered position, he engaged the enemy at point blank range with his M 249 machine gun, thereby allowing one injured Marine to be pulled to cover.

Lance Corporal Camp then joined a Marine in a frontal assault of the ambush site, forcing two insurgents from the rear of the house and into friendly fire, and permitting the recovery of the injured Marine.

As the assault to clear the house continued, armor-piercing rounds were fired from a hidden bunker beneath the floorboards, mortally wounding another Marine. 

Lance Corporal Camp refused to leave the building without the fallen Marine, and twice braved intense machine gun fire while attempting to recover the fallen Marine’s
remains.

On 11 May, an improvised explosive device destroyed Lance Corporal Camp’s amphibious assault vehicle, killing or wounding all 17 passengers.

Ignoring his wounds, he attempted to recover the wounded Marines trapped inside the vehicle, only to be thrown out of the vehicle from a secondary explosion. Receiving additional shrapnel wounds, yet undeterred, Lance Corporal Camp returned to the burning vehicle and pulled a Marine to safety.

By his bold leadership, wise judgment, and complete dedication to duty, Lance Corporal Camp reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.