Captain Hayden Sears was awarded the Silver Star for his exceptional bravery during military operations in Khe Sanh, Vietnam on February 23, 1968. Despite heavy enemy mortar and artillery fire, he courageously led a team onto the active runway to remove a supply bundle that was blocking the path. His quick and decisive actions allowed a critical aircraft to take off safely, preventing disaster and saving the lives of the aircrew and support personnel onboard.