Compiled and Edited By C. Douglas Sterner

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 1310 (April 15, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James Doyle Eisenhour, Warrant Officer, 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 the 240th Assault Helicopter Company, 1st Aviation Brigade. Warrant Officer Eisenhour distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action while flying as an aircraft commander of a UH-1H helicopter against hostile forces near Hiep Hoa, Republic of Vietnam, on 18 August 1968, in an attempt to rescue a member of a long range reconnaissance patrol who was reported fallen from the extraction helicopter. Three other aircraft had attempted the rescue operation at the expense of two killed and six wounded. Warrant Officer Eisenhour, realizing that survival chances were small, nevertheless volunteered to take his aircraft and crew into the hotly contested landing zone to attempt the rescue. While hovering in the landing zone looking for the lost man, Warrant Officer Eisenhour's aircraft sustained multiple hits from numerous automatic weapons positions. Warrant Officer Eisenhour was fatally wounded. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his own safety, and profound concern for a fellow soldier, he attempted to rescue this individual at the cost of his own life. Warrant Officer Eisenhour's extraordinary heroism and intrepidity are in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

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  Department of the Army, General Orders No. 13 (March 6, 1969)
  

Elliott, Artice W.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Artice W. Elliott, Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism while a Major serving as Senior Advisor to the 3rd Battalion, 42nd Infantry Regiment, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. During the period 21 April to 26 April 1971, the 3d Battalion was engaged in combat with elements of the 28th North Vietnamese Army Regiment in the vicinity of Dak Seang Special Forces Camp. Despite heavy direct and indirect fire barrages at the onset of each attack, Lieutenant Colonel Elliott would move to a position where he could direct air strikes, gunships, and artillery strikes, disregarding his own safety. He continued to expose himself on numerous occasions taking the enemy under fire with his own rifle and hand grenades. With all of his advisory team either dead or wounded he assumed an even greater share of the advisory effort, moving about the position advising the Vietnamese Battalion Commander, comforting the wounded, and inspiring the soldiers by his courage and stamina. As the situation became more desperate he took command of the unit and planned an executed breakthrough of the enemy encirclement, staying behind to inspire and orderly withdrawal. He was last seen firing his weapon in an attempt to held off the enemy so the others could escape. Lieutenant Colonel Elliott's personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with highest traditions of the military service.

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  Department of the Army, General Orders No. 30 (September 18, 1973)
  

(First Award)

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Henry E. Emerson, 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, 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division. Colonel Emerson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 5 April 1968 as commander of an infantry brigade during a reconnaissance-in-force misison in Dinh Tuong Province. One of his brigade elements came under intense automatic weapons fire when it enter an unmarked mine field. Because of the fire, its advance was halted and the momentum of its attack was imperiled. Upon hearing of this, Colonel Emerson directed his command aircraft to land in the battle area where, completely disregarding his own safety, he took command of the beleaguered element. His presense on the battle field under intense fire quickly inspired his men to redouble their efforts and gain fire superiority over the enemy. After assuring that the insurgents were well under control, he returned to his helicopter and was informed that another battalion was engaging a large insurgent force and was having trouble in determining the exact deployment of the enemy. He directed his craft to fly over the battle area to assess the situation. His ship was flying at a low level, and it was immediately subjected to fierce enemy fire. Using the muzzle flashes to detect the location of the Viet Cong, he ordered his battalion into a position where it could encircle the insurgents and begin their methodical destruction. Observing five Viet Cong fleeing the conflict area, he directed his pilot to land. He immediately leaped from the aircraft, and, using only his pistol, killed one of the enemy and captured another.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 3361 (July 15, 1968)
  

Emerson, Henry E.

(Second Award)

Citation:

The Distinguished Service Cross (First Oak Leaf Cluster) is presented to Henry E. Emerson, 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, 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division. Colonel Emerson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions from 30 May to 4 June 1968 in the Plain of Reeds while leading his brigade against the Viet Cong. Two days of ground sweeps failed to uncover the communists. Colonel Emerson boarded his helicopter on 1 June and directed that he be taken ona low-level reconnaissance through the operation area. He located a Viet Cong base camp and ordered an air assault against it. Ignoring heavy antiaircraft fire which was directed at and struck his ship, he circled above the battle area at less than three hundred feet and called air strikes on the enemy. Frequently he landed to personally direct the maneuver of his troops. As evening came a severe thunderstorm lashed the battle site, but he stayed in the air until he was told that his craft was flying on emergency fuel. During the night the enemy units fled, and although Colonel Emerson located their escape route the next day, they disappeared before his troops could re-engage them. Flying at tree-top level on 3 June, he discovered a massive Viet Cong bunker complex and immediately committed his forces in a series of air assaults. His men came under devastating automatic weapons fire, and by late afternoon the situation was critical. By landing at strategic points in the midst of the enemy fusillade and repeatedly flying low over the communists' positions, Colonel Emerson was able to skillfully coordinate his troops' maneuvers and direct air and artillery bombardments on the hostile emplacements. As he conducted a bitter night assault which completely encircled the Viet Cong, his helicopter was hit six times by enemy machine gun fire and disabled. After landing to obtain another ship and a fresh crew he returned to the fight, staying with his men until long after midnight to insure that the wounded were evacuated, all units were resupplied and arrangements were made for continued air and artillery strikes. The struggle ended the next morning and two first line Viet Cong battalions had been shattered. General Emerson's heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him and on the U.S. Army.

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  HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 5021 (October 29, 1968)
  

*Enners, Raymond James

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Raymond James Enners, First 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 A, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. First Lieutenant Enners distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 September 1968 while serving as a platoon leader during a combat sweep near the village of Ha Thanh. While moving across a small valley, his platoon was ambushed by a reinforced North Vietnamese Army squad firing machine guns, automatic weapons and small arms from camouflaged positions on a hillside. A squad leader was severely wounded and fell within twenty meters of the communists. Helplessly trapped by raking fire from the enemy gunners, the badly bleeding squad leader called for help, but the deadly hostile fire kept anyone from reaching him. Lieutenant Enners, hearing his cries, began moving forward to rescue him. From his position one hundred meters back, he crawled forward through the rice paddies and leaped across the intervening dikes, dodging through continuous bursts of enemy fire until he reached his forward squad trapped behind a dike twenty meters from the fallen squad leader. With the aid of one of the other squad leaders, he dispersed his men and signaled for covering fire. He and the squad leader then jumped over the dike and ran forward through the blistering fire to within ten meters of the wounded man, but were forced to turn back when the North Vietnamese began throwing grenades. Calling for a second burst of cover fire, the two men again raced across the bullet-ridden paddies, only to be halted again by the (Gap in the Citation) maneuvering one squad twenty meters to the right of the enemy emplacements and directing the remainder of the platoon to areas from which they could lay down the most effective cross fire. Signaling a third time for his men to open up on the aggressors, he and the squad leaer vaulted the dike and again attempted to reach the wounded man. Braving rounds scorching the air around them, they raced to the injured man's position and took cover behind the dike, After applying first aid to the man's wounds while the squad leader fired at the North Vietnamese, Lieutenant Enners picked up the injured man, again disregarding the risk to his own life to carry him back across the battlefield to the care of medical aidmen. Moving the squad on the right through a hail of fire, he moved to within fifteen meters of the enemy before he was fatally wounded by hostile machine gun fire. First Lieutenant Enners' 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. 403 (February 5, 1969)
  

Esher, Brian R.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Brian R. Esher, 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 A, 4th Battalion, 23d Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Esher distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 13 September 1968 during a mine sweep operation south of First Support Base Santa Barbara in Tay Ninh Province. As his unit proceeded along Route 4, a North Vietnamese unit sprang an ambush employing rocket-propelled grenades. In the initial barrage, the first three armored personnel carriers were struck and disabled. Specialist Esher along with four other men who survived the salvo scrambled aboard the following vehicle as the platoon attempted to move out of the ambush site. When their armored vehicle was stalled by an exploding rocket grenade, they quickly dismounted and established a defensive perimeter around the personnel carrier. Setting up a machine gun position, Specialist Esher unleashed a suppressive barrage on the hostile force who sought to close in on the element now cut off from the rest of the platoon. Twice he returned to the smoking vehicle to obtain ammunition and once more to call in and direct gunship fire on hostile positions. Receiving orders to rejoin the platoon, Specialist Esher positioned his men advantageously on the vehicle and set off in the badly damaged vehicle at a painfully slow speed. After finally reaching the location of his unit, he helped supervise the evacuation of the more seirously wounded. Only after he and his comrades had retraced their paths through the ambush site and returned to the fire base did Specialist Esher accept medical care for his wounds received in the initial attack. Specialist Four Esher'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. 3794 (October 7, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Esteban Pena Estrada, Private 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 Company C, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Private First Class Estrada distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 29 January 1968 as machine gunner of an infantry company on a search and destroy operation in hostile territory. While moving through dense woods, his unit came under ravaging enemy fire from well-fortified and concealed positions. The fire was so intense it forced his comrades to take immediate cover. Disregarding his personal safety, Private Estrada ignored the bullets striking all around him and took up an exposed position. Although the Viet Cong focused their fire on him, he unflinchingly retained his position and delivered a devastating fusillade on the determined attackers. His withering fire prevented the insurgents from mounting a sustained assault on his unit. He was critically wounded by enemy fire but continued his fierce fight until his company regrouped and successfully counterattacked against the numerically superior Viet Cong. Private First Class Estrada'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. 1745 (April 16, 1968)
  

Eszes, Joseph W.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Joseph W. Eszes, First Lieutenant (Field Artillery), 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 C, 16th Cavalry, 1st Aviation Brigade. First Lieutenant Eszes distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 9 December 1971 when his troop was conducting a visual reconnaissance in search of a North Vietnamese battalion. Two heliocopters had initated low-level reconnaissance when both were shot down by a deadly barrage of enemy fire. Captain Eszes, monitoring the situation from an outpost, started for the battle site. A command and control helicopter had successfully evacuated one crew but was unable to reach the other ship due to instense enemy fire. Captain Eszes three times tried to unsuccessfully to reach the downed helicopter crew. When his ship was gushing fuel due to a bullet damage, he returned to the outpost, got another ship and resumed rescue attempts. His fourth attempt was thwarted when his windshield was shattered by a hail of fire. A fifth time he attempted an approach and was successful in getting to the downed helicopter. However, after a quick visual search of the area, the magnitude and proximity of the enemy fire forced him to depart. As they were lifting off, an explosion around the downed helicopter quelled any hope of the two crewmen serviving. Captain Eszes'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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  Department of the Army, General Orders No. 19 (June 18, 1974)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John Wesley Eutsler, Private 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 Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Private First Class Eutsler distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 31 January 1969 as a point man during a search and clear mission in Tay Ninh Province. As Private Eutsler was leading his squad down a narrow path, he came upon a well camouflaged bunker complex manned by two companies of the Nother Vietnamese Army. He immediately signaled a warning to his comrades and, disregarding his safety, advanced on the forward enemy position. Although met by intense hostile fire, he killed one of the communists and continued across an open field to the bunker, which he destroyed with hand grenades. He then engaged a squad of enemy troops who were placing dedly fire on his element, enabling his comrades to withdraw to a more secure location. While moving back to rejoin his unit and report the North Vietnamese positions, he was fatally wounded by a burst of hostile fire. Private First Class Eutsler'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. 1146 (April 3, 1969)
  

Evans, Billy D.

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Billy D. Evans, 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 Command and Control Detachment (Central), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant First Class Evans distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions from 29 to 31 March 1967 while serving as a Special forces advisor to a vietnamese Army unit on a combat mission deep in hostile territory. Attacked by a numerically superior Viet Cong force during infiltration, part of the force was unable to land because of heavy automatic weapons fire. Sergeant Evans quickly organized the remaining men and led them to a defensive position through a hail of machine gun fire. Throughout the night he disregarded his own safety to direct the fire of his men on repeated enemy probes. Early in the morning a mass assault by the Viet Cong disabled all of the men in his sector. Receiving a severe wound, Sergeant Evans continued to repel the assault single-handedly until reinforcements could be shifted to his position. When a determined attack broke through the perimeter, he refused medical aid and fiercely charged the onrushing insurgents killing several and destroying a machine gun position from which deadly fire was inflicting numerous friendly casualties. His actions inspired his men to greater heights to defeat the enemy and allow exfiltration of the unit. Sergeant First Class Evans' 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. 4718 (September 17, 1967)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Daniel Edward Evans, Jr., 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 Company B, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Specialist Five Evans distinguished himself with exceptionally valorous actions on 25 March 1969 while serving as medical aidman on a reconnaissance-in-force mission near Fire Support Base Danger in Kien Phong Province. Air-inserted elements of his company were approaching a denseley vegetated woodline when they were suddenly enveloped in a barrage of hostile automatic weapons fire from well-camouflaged bunkers. Seeing a trooper downed by the initial bursts, he crawled through ditches and dashed over open terrain to the wounded soldier. After dressing the soldier's critical chest wound, he dragged the casualty on a makeshift litter with the help of another infantryman through volleys of exploding rocket- propelled grenades to a rear area. Following artillery and air strikes on the enemy fortifications, a second assault was initiated on the hostile positions and immediately checked by suppressive enemy fire. Again Specialist Evans responded to the needs of a downed trooper. Dodging machine gun fire, he crawled and sprinted thirty meters to the wounded man and treated him while enemy fire saturated the area. Seeing yet another soldier hit in the storm of bullets, he attempted several times without success to crawl to him. Undaunted by the suppressive fire, he finally reached the casualty, dressed his severe chest wound, and dragged him to rear safety. Specialist Evans then darted from position to position to aid two other wounded troopers, crawling within fifty meters of the enemy bunkers to aid one man. Lying prone he bandaged the soldier's wound and enlisted fellow infantrymen to drag the man to the rear. For more than five hours he exposed himself to hostile fire to bring prompt medical attention to his fallen comrades. Specialist Evans' 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. 3293 (August 26, 1969)
  

The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Donald Patrick Evans, Private 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 Company D, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Private First Class Evans distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 20 November 1968 while serving as a point man during a reconnaissance-in-force mission in a dense bamboo jungle near Landing Zone Jake. Private Evans detected an enemy ambush and immediately warned his company. The unit attempted to flank the North Vietnamese Army soldiers, who were entrenched in a well camouflaged and hevily fortified bunker complex. Fearlessly leading one of the flanking elements and braving the automatic weapons fire, he spearheaded an aggressive assault against the hostile positions. Moving ahead of the other troops, Private Evans single-handedly destroyed four bunkers with rifle fire and grenades, allowing the balance of the company to advance until it became pinned down by three adversaries in an expertly camouflaged bunker. unmindful of his safety, he immediately charged the position and forced the North Vietnamese to retreat. As he continued to pursue the communists, he was mortally wounded by an enemy sniper. Private First Class Evans' 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.