Compiled and Edited By C. Douglas Sterner

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2495 (July 11, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Robert Chester Turnbull, Second Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company C, 2d Battalion, 18th Infantry, 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. Second Lieutenant Turnbull distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 7 February 1968 as platoon leader of an infantry company on combat operations near Ben Cat. When other elements of his company became heavily engaged by a numerically superior Viet Cong force, Lieutenant Turnbull led his platoon to reinforce the besieged troops. His force was hit by devastating machine gun and automatic weapons fire as it fought through dense jungle, and several of his men were wounded. After deploying his platoon in a defensive perimeter, he directed his troops to lay down a base of fire and then maneuvered to silence the enemy weapons. He located three Viet Cong firing automatic weapons and killed them with rifle fire. Bullets continued to sweep the jungle battlefield but he refused to halt his advance and moved toward an enemy machine gun. Coming to within ten meters of the weapon, he stood up and destroyed it with hand grenades, killing the six insurgents who occupied the emplacement. He was wounded by a second machine gun but continued his assault and circled behind the enemy fortifications. Disregarding his safety, he again stood up under a ravaging barrage and destroyed the position with hand grenades. As he threw the last grenade, he was instantly killed by enemy rocket fire. His gallant and selfless leadership in the heat of battle saved the lives of numerous fellow soldiers. Second Lieutenant Turnbull's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2248 (May 14, 1968)
  

Tusi, Ronald L.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Ronald L. Tusi, Chief Warrant Officer (W-2), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Battery F (AFA), 79th Artillery, 3d Brigade (Separate) 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Chief Warrant Officer Tusi distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 15 April 1972 while serving as pilot of a Cobra helicopter gunship in support of Vietnamese forces defending An Loc, the provincial capital of Binh Long Province. Outnumbered by three enemy divisions and more than 20 enemy tanks, the defenders at An Loc were forced to withdraw to a small area where the 5th Army of the Republic of Vietnam Division Headquarters was located. Heavy tactical air support was urgently needed to halt the attack, but its use was denied because of the grave danger it posed to civilians who were being held hostage by the enemy and hundreds of soldiers who had been pinned down by the enemy tanks. Confident in his ability to provide protective firepower with pinpoint accuracy, Chief Warrant Officer Tusi committed himself to the battle. Despite extremely intense anti-aircraft fire, he launched a solo attack against the threatening enemy force by flying through anti-aircraft explosions that enveloped his gunship in smoke and personally destroyed four enemy tanks and damaged another. His devastating rocket attacks forced the remaining tanks to seek cover, and enabled Army of the Republic of Vietnam infantrymen to destroy all but two of the remaining enemy tanks. After halting the armor just meters short of their objective, chief Warrant Officer Tusi engaged the enemy infantry and forced scores to retreat from their attacks. Chief Warrant Officer Tusi's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, MACV Support Command General Order No. 1798 (August 4, 1972
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Larry M. Twiford, Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Twiford distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 4 December 1967 while serving as an artillery radio-telephone operator with a Riverine Assault convoy on the Rach Ruong River. While on a search and destroy mission the convoy was suddenly ambushed with rocket, machine gun and small arms fire by an enemy force well entrenched along both banks of the river. Braving the deadly barrage, Specialist Twiford took a position on the forward deck of the command and control boat and attempted to suppress the attack. When a comrade was seriously wounded, he moved through the withering hail of enemy fire and, covering the fallen soldier with his body, called to others to move the man to safety. While two men carried the casualty below deck, Specialist Twiford kept a steady volume of accurate fire on the enemy. As the boat was moving out of the ambush area, a rocket struck nearby, wounding him grievously. Disregarding his critical injuries, he held his position and continued to engage the communists until his boat escaped the killing zone. Specialist Four Twiford's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 488 (February 12, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Victor C. Underwood, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant First Class Underwood distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions during the period 9 to 12 March 1966 while serving as Senior Operations Advisor with an element of the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam at Camp A Shau. On the night of 9 March Sergeant Underwood was asleep in the camp dispensary when a two-battalion force of Viet Cong attacked the camp. The insurgent's mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire caused several Americans to be seriously wounded while attempting to get to their battle positions. Without regard for his own safety, he left his secured position in the face of the deadly insurgent fire to drag the wounded to safer positions and administer first aid. On 10 March 1966, the insurgents launched a heavy attack on the East and North walls of the camp. After several hours of fighting, the insurgents breached the East wall and forced the friendly defenders on the South' wall to withdraw to the trench lines along the North wall. Sergeant Underwood, who was on the North wall, managed to steady the retreating defenders and encouraged them to maintain such a murderous barrage of fire at the assaulting Viet Cong that it kept the camp from being overrun. After friendly air strikes had been directed at the insurgents along the camp's southern trenches, Sergeant Underwood took part in a counterattack to retake the South wall. During the action that followed, Sergeant Underwood was seriously wounded in both legs by an insurgent grenade but kept on fighting until the friendly force was ordered to withdraw. When the surviving defenders were ordered to break out of the camp to the north in an attempt at a helicopter rescue, Sergeant Underwood led the contingent, fighting his way yard by yard, and encouraging his comrades to follow. At the rescue site he elected to remain and cover the evacuation of the seriously wounded. Because of this action, Sergeant Underwood and a small group of defenders were forced to evade the Viet Cong for an entire day without food or water in dense jungles until they were rescued by friendly aircraft. During thirty-eight hours of close combat with a fanatical insurgent force and twelve hours of evading the same hostile force in treacherous jungles, Sergeant Underwood was a constant source of inspiration to his American and Vietnamese comrades. Sergeant First Class Underwood's extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect treat credit upon himself and the military service.

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  HQ US Army, Pacific, General Orders No. 224 (September 12, 1966)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Dale A. Urban, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Sergeant Urban distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 February 1968 as a team leader during an assault by his company against a strongly entrenched enemy force near Hue. As his unit drew near a stream fronting the communists' strongholds, it was met by rocket and machine gun fire from a series of bunkers lining the opposite shore. The barrage caused the company to halt and take cover, but Sergeant Urban and his squad leader rushed forward in a daring assault through the chest- deep water silencing several positions. When the company advanced deeper into the dense woods, the hostile fire increased from the strategically placed bunkers and fortified villages. The deadly cross fires again caused men to falter and take cover as the casualties mounted. Ignoring the devastating fusillade, Sergeant Urban and his squad leader sprang forward and assaulted several more bunkers with hand grenades, eliminating all resistance. Ahead of them, however, lay a line of four fortifications which were placing fire into the flanks of their unit, effectively halting further advance. Sergeant Urban and his squad leader, in total disregard for their safety, rushed forward and ran along a trench line fronting the bunkers, throwing hand grenades inside and raking the positions with rifle fire as they passed. They killed all the occupants, except for two who staggered out and were captured. Sergeant Urban then rushed another bunker totally destroying it with an incendiary grenade, and began to deliver heavy fire into two more emplacements, one harboring a machine gun. Both of these were soon silenced by his accurate fire. The enemy's final line of resistance had all but disintegrated, except for sporadic fire which continued from an undetermined location. Sergeant Urban and his squad leader, though unable to spot any movement, quickly estimated the source of the fire to be in some high brush just thirty meters to their front. Putting their rifles on full automatic, the two men sprayed the suspected area and waited for a response. There was no return fire. Suspecting a possible trap, Sergeant Urban courageously crawled forward and found three North Vietnamese officers, killed by rifle fire behind the concealing underbrush. Sergeant Urban's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 502 (February 13, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Frank Valor, Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry, 2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Valor distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 4 January 1968 as a medical aidman on a reconnaissance-in-force mission near Phu Chong. Moving from a defense hedgerow into an open field, the lead element of his company came under heavy automatic weapons and machine gun fire from an estimated enemy battalion occupying concealed, well fortified positions. Several casualties were immediately sustained. Specialist Valor was wounded three times as he moved to the point of heaviest contact to assist his fallen comrades. Upon reaching the casualties, he remained in an exposed position and began treating them. Despite being wounded once again, he assisted his injured comrades to a more secure position. Upon reaching a relatively safe area, he was hastily treated for his wounds while organizing an emergency treatment area for the other casualties. Although weak from loss of blood, Specialist Valor then returned to the battle area time after time to evacuate additional casualties. When evacuation helicopters arrived, he immediately established extraction priorities for the wounded, refusing evacuation for himself until he was sure that all other casualties had been extracted. Specialist Four Valor's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 3684 (August 1, 1968)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Frederick Fren Van Deusen, Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 47th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Van Deusen distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 3 July 1968 as commanding officer of an infantry battalion on combat operations near Ben Luc. Early in the morning, he inserted two rifle companies into landing zones on the west bank of the Song Vam Co Dong River. With the support of an armed helicopter company and an air cavalry troop, he maneuvered them in an attempt to encircle a Viet Cong battalion command post. Throughout the morning, he directed his command helicopter to maintain a tree-top level position to best control the ground elements. On several occasions he joined his companies to personally coordinate their efforts. In each case, he disregarded his personal safety to cross open areas under intense hostile fire and join the forward elements. During the afternoon, one company lost contact with one of its platoons. Colonel Van Deusen immediately directed his helicopter to land, crossed an open field under a hail of enemy automatic weapons fire, and joined the company commander in an exposed position. To assist the officer in finding the isolated platoon, Colonel Van Deusen returned to his aircraft and directed the pilot to circle the battlefield at treetop-level despite the constant enemy fusillade directed at the ship. He spotted enemy activity on the company's flank and directed his pilot to fly closer for a better view. At that moment enemy automatic weapons fire raked the aircraft, causing it to crash into the river. Lieutenant Colonel Van Deussen's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 3240 (July 9, 1968)
  

*Van Poll, Hubert Clarence (MIA)

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Hubert Clarence Van Poll, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam as a member of Detachment A-219, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Staff Sergeant Van Poll distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 15 June 1967 while serving as Special Forces platoon leader of a Mike Force Company which was moving to relieve a beleaguered Vietnamese unit near Dak To. As Sergeant Van Poll's company moved along a heavily wooded trail, it received a sudden outburst of intense Viet Cong machine gun fire from concealed, fortified positions. When another American, who was leading a small element in counterattack, was hit, Sergeant Van Poll left his cover and, firing steadily, crawled toward the wounded man. Despite intense fire raking the ground all around him, he reached his comrade and administered first aid. He then picked up the wounded man and ran towards his own lines through a tremendous outburst of fire. Sergeant Van Poll was knocked to the ground by a grenade explosion, but struggled to his feet and reached a covered position. The insurgents' attack intensified and as Sergeant Van Poll was treating his comrade's wounds, he was mortally wounded himself, Staff Sergeant Van Poll's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 3867 (July 28, 1967)
  

*Van Tan, Do

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Do Van Tan, Private, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, for extraordinary heroism in action while a member of Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 41st Regiment, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Private Do Van Tran distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving an opposing force in the Republic of Vietnam on 10 January 1968. During an attack by an estimated North Vietnamese Army battalion on the command post of the 2d Battalion, 41st Regiment, Private Tan went to his place of duty with four American advisors in a bunker. The numerically superior enemy, attacking with rockets, mortars, automatic weapons, small arms and hand grenades, mounted a coordinated assault from several directions and overran the defensive positions, throwing hand grenades into the fortified positions as they passed through the command post. A grenade was thrown into the bunker occupied by Private Tan and the American advisors. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his personal well-being, Private Tan grasped the grenade and threw himself on it, shielding the American advisors from the blast and shrapnel. Private Tan, through his unselfish and valorous sacrifice of his own live, prevented possible loss of life or serious injury to the four American advisors who were in the bunker. Private Tan's conspicuous gallantry and heroic action were in the highest tradition of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

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  Department of the Army, General Orders No. 7 (January 29, 1969)
  

*Vann, John Paul

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  Department of the Army, General Orders No. 32 (August 3, 1972)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Denny R. Vaughan, Captain (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Troop B, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 17th Combat Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. Captain Vaughan distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 April 1968 in an air rescue mission west of Kontum. During a low-level aerial reconnaissance, a scout aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire and crashed in the midst of a reinforced North Vietnamese Army battalion. When it was reported that two crew members had survived the crash, Captain Vaughan immediately volunteered to lead a twenty-man force in an attempt to extract them. On the approach to the landing zone the lead aircraft began receiving intense fire from machine gun positions surrounding the pickup site, and the flight commander decided to abort the mission. Captain Vaughan, though fully aware of the enemy's strength, persuaded the flight commander to remain at a twenty-foot hover while he and his men jumped to the ground. Ignoring an injury to his ankle, he rapidly deployed his platoon and began maneuvering it toward the downed ship. After moving a short distance, it received heavy enemy automatic weapons fire. Captain Vaughan requested and adjusted air strikes around his platoon's position. The bombardment stopped the attackers' fire and he continued to lead his men toward the injured crew members. The North Vietnamese launched a furious ground assault on his platoon. Captain Vaughan fearlessly exposed himself to the withering hail of fire to organize and direct his troops' defenses. As the attack was driven back, he once again called air strikes on the enemy, enabling him and his men to return to the landing zone with the downed aircraft crew for extraction. Captain Vaughan's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.