(Not an Exact Copy)
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GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 2704 |
July 17, 1969 |
AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced.
GOURLEY, GUY H., XXX-XX-XXXX, SERGEANT FIRST CLASS,
Company D, 3d Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, Americal Division,
Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross
Date action: March 29, 1969
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
| Reason: | The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Guy H. Gourley, 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 Company D, 3d Battalion, 1st Infantry, Americal Division. Sergeant First Class Gourley distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 29 March 1969 while serving as a platoon sergeant of a company involved in a combat sweep operation southwest of Duc Pho. Suddenly Sergeant Gourley's platoon began to receive a heavy enfilade from enemy fortifications among the hedgerows. Having escaped the initial outburst of the hostile ambush, his element immediately proceeded to regroup. At this time, Sergeant Gourley learned that another squad was pinned down and drawing heavy fire. As his men laid a base of suppressive fire, he crawled within hand grenade range of an enemy emplacement. Although he sustained a leg wound, he managed to destroy the hostile bunker with a grenade. He and his men continued to press toward the beleaguered squad. Another North Vietnamese position opened fire, wounding Sergeant Gourley in the stomach and cutting him off from his troops. He directed retaliatory fire while a radio was brought to him. Immediately calling in air and ground support, he exposed himself to the hostile fusillade while he marked communist emplacements with smoke grenades. Soon gun ships arrived and, under Sergeant Gourley's direction, began to deliver a devastating barrage of fire on the enemy. Then, when several armored personnel carriers appeared, he supervised the evacuation of the wounded. Not until all of his men had been safely recovered did he allow himself to be evacuated and treated. Sergeant First Class Gourley'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. |
| Authority: | By direction of the President under the provisions of the Act of Congress, approved 9 July 1918. |
An electronic copy of this citation was provided by Leslie Hines, Vietnam Historian for the Americal Division Veterans Association (ADVA). The information for this citation was researched and prepared by Bruce Swander from thousands of orders for Vietnam era Distinguished Service Cross recipients. The ADVA, the Hill 4-11 Association, and the www.hill4-11.org Web site are grateful for this information.
Award graphics courtesy of The Institute of Heraldry
