DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, United States Army
Vietnam
APO San Francisco 96375
GENERAL ORDERS
NUMBER
5006 |
29 October 1968
|
AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
| 1. TC 320.
The following AWARD is announced posthumously.
MANGAN, MICHAEL R US56703895, SPECIALIST
FOUR United States Army, Company C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry,
2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, APO 96225
|
| Awarded: |
Distinguished Service Cross |
| Date of Action: |
21 August 1968 |
| Theater: |
Republic of Viet Nam |
| Reason: |
For extraordinary heroism in connection with
military operations |
|
involving conflict with an armed hostile force
in the Republic of Vietnam: Specialist Four Mangan distinguished
himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 August 1968 while serving
with a mechanized infantry company combating a large enemy force in the
Ben Cui rubber plantation. The communists began a human wave assault.
Specialist Mangan maneuvered his armored personnel carrier into a position
from which it could deliver the most effective firepower and began firing
his light anti-tank weapon into the charging enemy. Constantly exposed
to the intense hostile fusillade, he continued firing until ordered to
withdraw. As he maneuvered his assault vehicle into a defensive position,
it was struck by an enemy rocket, which caused it to burst into flames.
Specialist Mangan again exposed himself to the communists’ barrage to extinguish
the fire and was wounded in the arm. The vehicle was then struck
by a mortar round. Finding the carrier inoperative, he ran to another
assault vehicle to assist its machine gunner in delivering suppressive
fire on the enemy. When the gunner had expended his ammunition,Specialist
Mangan ran through a hail of bullets to obtain a resupply from his demobilized
track. As he climbed into the vehicle it was struck by a rocket,
knocking him to the ground. Struggling to his feet, he picked up
the vital ammunition and returned it to the machine gunner’s position.
While handing the resupply to his comrade, he was mortally wounded.
Specialist Four Mangan’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. |
| Authority: |
By direction of the President, under the provisions
of the Act of |
|
Congress, approved 25 July 1963. |
|
MICHAEL ROBERT MANGAN 
