DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, United States Army
Vietnam
APO San Francisco 96375
GENERAL ORDERS
NUMBER
1800 |
18 April 1968
|
AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
| 1. TC 320.
The following AWARD is announced posthumously.
WILLIAMS, RALPH L 05334184 FIRST LIEUTENANT INFANTRY
United States Army, Company C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry,
2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, APO 96225
|
| Awarded: |
Distinguished Service Cross |
| Date of Action: |
14 February 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: First Lieutenant Williams distinguished
himself by exceptionally valorous action on 14 February 1968 as an infantry
platoon leader while conducting a reconnaissance-in-force mission in enemy
territory. The lead elements of his platoon were suddenly subjected
to intense automatic weapons, small arms and recoilless rifle fire from
heavily fortified North Vietnamese Army positions. Fearlessly exposing
himself to the savage barrage, Lieutenant Williams rushed forward to reorganize
his troops and evacuate casualties. While running to a farmhouse
to assist a wounded platoon member, he was struck in the knee by enemy
fire. He quickly treated his wound and began moving toward cover
when he noticed that one of his machine gunners had been hit by tracer
bullets, causing the soldier’s clothing to burst into flames. Heedless
of a raking curtain of hostile fire, Lieutenant Williams crawled across
the bullet-swept terrain and removed the man’s burning garments.
Then, as he raised up to throw a smoke grenade at the North Vietnamese
to screen the withdrawal of his troops, he was mortally wounded.
First Lieutenant Williams’ 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. |
|
RALPH LEROY WILLIAMS 
