Compiled and Edited By C. Douglas Sterner

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2213 (June 24, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James A. Weedmark, Specialist Fifth 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 Troop D, 3d Squadron, 5th Cavalry, 9th Infantry Division. Specialist Five Weedmark distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 19 June 1967 as a helicopter repairman with the 9th Infantry Division. Upon receiving an urgent request to help evacuate over one hundred casualties from a heated battle, Specialist Weedmark's aircraft proceeded to the site of the conflict and made a landing amid machine gun cross fire. Bullets immediately riddled the helicopter, wounding the aircraft commander as some of the casualties were placed aboard. Specialist Weedmark climbed atop the aircraft to assess the damage, and after he had determined that the aircraft was operative, the wounded were flown to a hospital. The helicopter returned for another load. As additional patients were being placed aboard, Specialist Weedmark was wounded in the thigh. Observing another rescue helicopter crash nearby, he ignored the painful injury, ran across fifty meters of open rice paddy laced with fierce enemy fire, and pulled the survivors from the wreckage. As he carried a wounded man to a protected position he was shot a second time. His own helicopter had been too badly damaged by the intense barrage to take off, and he proceeded to remove the casualties aboard to a place of safety. Specialist Weedmark continued to move between the two downed ships, disregarding his safety to secure radio equipment, weapons and ammunition. Using a machine gun, he then placed a furious volume of fire on the enemy. Wounded a third time, Specialist Weedmark finally fell unconscious from loss of blood and the tremendous strain of his exertions. Specialist Five Weedmark'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. 3251 (July 10, 1968)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Albert C. Welch, First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy on 17 October 1967, near Chon Thanh, Binh Long Province, Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Welch's company was moving behind Company A, 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry into an enemy base camp. After two hours of cautious movement, Company A was devastated by withering enemy small arms, grenade and machine gun fire, killing Company A's platoon leaders and seriously wounding the company commander. First Lieutenant Welch rapidly directed a perimeter defense around the Command Group and raced forward to ensure that his forward elements were tied in with Company A's rear elements. As he approached through heavy enemy fire he received a wound to the chest but succeeded in bringing several wounded soldiers from Company A back into his company's perimeter. He ran to his men to encourage and direct their fire. Ignoring sniper fire from the trees, he cannibalized damaged radios to call for artillery fire, close to and on to his position, while carefully avoiding the area where the dead and wounded were lying. Seeing an enemy rocket propelled grenade being launched against the Command Group, he raced forward through both enemy and friendly fire and killed the enemy soldier, receiving a serious wound to his left arm. With his sidearm, he killed another enemy soldier who had penetrated the company's perimeter. Exhausted, he slumped to the ground. His first sergeant called to him that enemy soldiers were executing American wounded. He again rose to his feet, raced forward, and killed two more enemy soldiers, then fell unconscious but still alive from five battle wounds and loss of blood. First Lieutenant Welch's heroism, care for his men, personal fighting skills and leadership epitomized the actions of an infantry leader in close combat against an overwhelming enemy force. First Lieutenant Welch's actions reflect great credit upon himself, the 1st Infantry Division, the United States Army, and the United States of America.

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  HQ, Department of the Army, General Orders 9, 18 November 2005
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Kenyon Gary Wellman, 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 Company D, 3d Battalion, 22d Infantry, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Wellman distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 22 December 1967 while serving as a member of a combat patrol on a search and destroy mission near Dau Tieng. His patrol was maneuvering through dense jungle when it was savagely ambushed by a Viet Cong force in well-fortified positions. Specialist Wellman was pinned down at the front of his unit by intense enemy automatic weapons fire, and many of his nearby comrades were killed or wounded. Despite bullets striking all around him, he ignored his own safety, moved among the wounded, and administered first aid. The lethal hostile fire continued relentlessly, and Specialist Wellman realized that in order to save his patrol from annihilation, the Viet Cong bunker directly to his front would have to be silenced. He crawled to where a machine gunner had been killed, grabbed the machine gun and single-handedly assaulted the enemy position. He charged through the underbrush laying down a concentrated barrage on the insurgent fortification. His one-man attack was momentarily halted when he was struck to the ground by a burst of enemy fire. Very seriously wounded but knowing the lives of his fellow soldiers depended on the destruction of the Viet Cong bunker, he stood up and continued his gallant assault through a curtain of fire. When only a few feet from the enemy position, he was hit again by a hail of bullets and instantly killed. Specialist Four Wellman'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. 772 (February 20, 1968)
  

Wessel, Leon Mack, Jr.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Leon Mack Wessel, Jr., First Lieutenant (Artillery), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2d Battalion, 320th Artillery, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. First Lieutenant Wessel distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 15 May 1967 while serving as artillery forward observer for an airborne infantry battalion on a search and destroy mission near Duc Pho. His platoon was savagely attacked by an estimated North Vietnamese battalion firing automatic weapons, mortars and grenades from well-fortified positions. He immediately called for artillery strikes on the enemy positions to allow the platoon leader to withdraw to a more secure position. The platoon leader was seriously wounded, but Lieutenant Wessel quickly assumed command and called for intensified strikes on the hostile onslaught. Ignoring his own safety, he moved through the withering enemy barrage to rally his men and call for air support. Time after time he exposed himself to the enemy weapons to direct helicopter strafing runs on the hostile fortifications. He repeatedly moved into the open during the five-hour firefight to inspire his men to fight furiously against the numerically superior North Vietnamese unit. He was ordered to withdraw in the face of the intense attack and unhesitantly braved the savage fire to secure a landing zone in the bullet-swept jungle and direct rescue ships to his position. Heedless of the intense fire, he moved to within fifty meters of the hostile lines and directed artillery strikes to cover the extraction operation. He remained on the ground until he was sure that all of his men were loaded. First Lieutenant Wessel'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. 5789 (November 10, 1967)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Hugh M. West, Specialist Fifth 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 Troop B, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Five West distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 9 June 1970 while serving as a senior radio mechanic with a seven-vehicle re-supply convoy in Cambodia. As the convoy proceeded to their destination just inside the Cambodian border, they were forced to delay their mission by torrential rains and poor terrain. Soon after the convoy established a defensive position, they were attacked by a large enemy force firing rockets, mortars, and small arms. Specialist West reacted immediately to the hostile fire by placing effective counter fire on the surrounding enemy positions. Although wounded by an incoming mortar round, he continued to fire at the attacking enemy while encouraging his companions to sustain the defensive efforts. Then, hearing cries for help from a wounded comrade lying in an exposed position, Specialist West ran to the casualty and carried him to the center of the allied defensive position where, amid a hail of enemy sniper fire, he applied first aid to his wounds. After treating the casualty, he returned to his fighting position where he continued to resist the enemy in a determined manner. When he was notified that a rescue helicopter was en route to evacuate seriously wounded allied personnel, the specialist moved to the evacuation site and stood alone in an exposed position to direct the aircraft to the landing zone. Although the first attempt was aborted by the intense enemy fire, Specialist West again stood in his exposed position to direct the helicopter safely down. After the wounded were loaded aboard, the specialist returned to his position to help his weary comrades resist a final enemy attack. Specialist Five West'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. 5029 (November 7, 1970)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Thomas E. West, Specialist Fifth Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with the 1st Cavalry Division engaged in operations against overwhelming enemy forces near a fire support base center in the Kingdom of Cambodia on 2 May 1970. When approaching a downed pilot who had parachuted from his crippled aircraft, Specialist West's aircraft came under intense enemy antiaircraft, automatic weapons and rocket fire. Noticing that the pilot was suspended from a tree and that the vegetation was too dense to land, Specialist West unselfishly volunteered to rescue the injured individual. Despite the strafing enemy fire, Specialist West descended the rope, crossed a clearing and attempted to free the pilot from his harness. Unable to free the pilot, he returned 50 meters to the helicopter in order to obtain a knife. Again, and with great courage and daring Specialist West returned through the hostile fire to the stranded pilot. Cutting the pilot loose, Specialist West then dragged him, despite closely impacting rounds, to the survival rope hanging from the aircraft. Because of severe rope burns Specialist West was unable to climb the rope. He wrapped his body around the pilot to protect him. Still using his body to protect the pilot and hanging from the rope 70 feet below the aircraft, Specialist West was flown through 1,500 meters of enemy fire to an open field where the aircraft landed and the injured pilot was put aboard. His extraordinary heroism was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflected great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

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  Department of the Army, General Orders No. 31 (July 1, 1971)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Ronald K. Westfall, 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, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Westfall distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 19 November 1966. His 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. 115 (1967)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Allan R. Wetzel, Captain (Armor), 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, 14th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Captain Wetzel distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 16 February 1968 as commanding officer of an infantry unit conducting a mission in the city of Tay Ninh. His company, reinforced by an attached platoon approached a wall near the temple grounds, it suddenly encountered an intense volume of automatic weapons, grenade and rocket fire from a battalion-sized enemy force. Captain Wetzel quickly deployed his men and directed their suppressive fire on the insurgents. He then crawled to the lead element's position and found that it had sustained heavy casualties. It was also in danger of being subjected to a flank attack. Captain Wetzel returned to the main element and led a spoiling attack to the temple wall to prevent the enemy form dividing his company and isolating its elements. His men were driven back by heavy automatic weapons fire and he regrouped them for another assault. As he did so, he observed an enemy soldier preparing to fire a rocket at an American armored personnel carrier. Unable to warn the vehicle's crew from his position, he dashed through the intense hostile fire to the carrier and arrived at the vehicle at the same moment it was struck by the enemy round. Despite the wounds he sustained from the exploding rocket, he immediately evacuated the vehicle's crew members to a position of safety. At the same time, the insurgent forces assaulted his company's position. Moving to a holding position along the wall to his rear, Captain Wetzel and six of his men completely halted the enemy's attack with a deadly barrage of grenade and rifle fire. After reinforcements had arrived, he personally directed the extraction of the wounded. Captain Wetzel'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. 3654 (July 30, 1968)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Frederick C. Weyand, Major General, 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, 25th Infantry Division. Major General Weyand distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 9 January and 3 February 1967 while serving as Commanding General, 25th Infantry Division. On 8 January, one of his companies became pinned down by intense Viet Cong fire. The unit had lost all radio contact and by nightfall was completely surrounded. Unmindful of the dangers, General Weyand accompanied the first helicopter into the besieged company early the next morning. He quickly organized the evacuation of the dead and wounded, and dauntlessly walked around the treacherous perimeter, comforting the casualties and encouraging the beleaguered defenders. His personal presence on the battlefield was a source of boundless inspiration and enabled his men to hold out until relief arrived. On 3 February, while flying over War Zone C, his pilot monitored a radio transmission stating that two vehicles and ten men were lost in hostile territory. The interrogation patrol had accidentally strayed into the Viet Cong infested terrain and all attempts to reach them by radio had failed. Realizing the urgency of the situation, General Weyand began a meticulous search of the area until he spotted the two vehicles heading deeper into hostile territory. Despite the threat of mines and numerous insurgents in the area, he ordered his pilot to land the aircraft. With complete disregard for his safety, General Weyand then jumped from the helicopter, flagged down the errant patrol and turned it around. As the vehicles headed back, he called for covering artillery fire and had his command ship fly low level escort until the patrol reached friendly lines. His singular courage and aggressive determination during both situations were responsible for saving the endangered lives of his men. Major General Weyand'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. 804 (February 24, 1967)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Michael Cornelius Whalen, 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 Company B, 4th Battalion, 3d Infantry, Americal Division. Specialist Four Whalen distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 28 February 1969 as a medic during a search and clear operation near the village of Minh Khanh in Quang Ngai Province. His company came under intense hand grenade, small arms and automatic weapons attack, wounding several men. Hearing a cry for a medic and for more ammunition, he courageously left his position of relative safety with the desperately needed ammunition and crossed approximately two hundred meters of open terrain to reach the besieged element. As he exposed himself to the enemy fusillade to assist the casualties, he was wounded in the leg, but he disregarded his painful injury and continued to help the other casualties until he was fatally wounded by enemy fire. Specialist Four Whalen'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. 1558 (May 2, 1969)
  

Whitaker, Ira E.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Ira E. Whitaker, First 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 Battery C, 8th Battalion, 6th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division Artillery, 1st Infantry Division. First Sergeant Whittaker distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 1 November 1968 during a night mortar, rocket and ground attack by a North Vietnamese sapper battalion against Fire Support Base Rita. Although wounded by flying shrapnel, Sergeant Whitaker fearlessly went to his battery's section of the perimeter and placed intense rifle fire on the communists who had broken through the base's defenses. He was wounded again when one of the howitzers was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, but continued to fight the aggressors and engaged two sapper positions simultaneously. Moments after he had obtained additional ammunition from the body of a fallen comrade, he saw a sapper attempting to affix satchel charges to the hull of a howitzer. Sergeant Whitaker emptied his magazine into the communist and ran to the howitzer to drag him away from the gun before he could arm the satchel charges. A comrade was then killed by another sapper, and Sergeant Whitaker continued to expose himself to the hostile fusillade to suppress the sapper's fire. After re-establishing several defensive bunker positions, he manned a machine gun mounted on one of the howitzers until the attack was repelled. First Sergeant Whitaker'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. 1107 (1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Gerald J. White, 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 Company D, 3d Battalion, 22d Infantry, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Captain White distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 12 April 1968 while serving as commanding officer of an infantry company during a reconnaissance-in-force operation. A combined Viet Cong/North Vietnamese force launched a mortar attack on his battalion's night defensive perimeter, and followed it with a massive ground assault. Captain White exposed himself to the murderous enemy fire to organize the defender's efforts and treat the wounded. Spotting a group of attackers who had breached the perimeter, he killed them single-handedly. When several of the battalion's positions reported that they were running out of ammunition, he resupplied them personally, again encountering and killing several enemy troops. He discovered the communists had gained control of one location on the perimeter, and he attacked and recaptured it, successfully defending it until reinforcements arrived. As he returned to his command post, he saw some wounded men in an area raked by enemy machine gun fire. Crawling through the fusillade, he extracted them. Throughout the fight, he continued to leave his bunker to rescue casualties and encourage the defenders. He also directed flare ships and gun ships until the Viet Cong/North Vietnamese force was repulsed. Captain White'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. 5027 (1968)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John B. Whitehead, III, Captain (Armor), U.S. Army, for gallant conduct while pilot of a light observation helicopter near An Loc, Republic of Vietnam on 8 April 1972. During rescue operations of a besieged friendly force, a friendly relief column was moving from An Loc to Loc Ninh to relieve the defenders of Loc Ninh. The relief column came under heavy enemy attack about four miles north of An Loc and an element of South Vietnamese soldiers along with three American advisors were completely cut off and surrounded. Three attempts were made by helicopter to rescue the surrounded element, but all were repulsed by heavy antiaircraft fire. On 8 April 1972 another rescue attempt was made with Captain Whitehead as the pilot of one of the rescue aircraft. After numerous airstrikes on the enemy positions surrounding the friendly element, Captain Whitehead's aircraft proceeded towards the friendly location, his aircraft began to receive intensive enemy small arms fire. Through his own courage and determination to save American lives, Captain Whitehead landed in the midst of the surrounded element under this intensive fire. With his aircraft designed to carry only four personnel, Captain Whitehead and his crew chief picked up the three American advisors and four South Vietnamese soldiers, who held on to the skids of the aircraft. With the aircraft in this dangerously overloaded situation Captain Whitehead was barely able to take off and was unable to gain any altitude. He had to fly low over known enemy locations receiving enemy fire until they reached safety. Captain Whitehead knowingly flew into an area surrounded by hostile forces to save American lives at the risk of his own. Captain Whitehead'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.