The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Ferdinand Hepp (ASN: 0-5326580), United States 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, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). First Lieutenant Hepp distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 October 1966 while serving as platoon leader during a search and destroy mission near Bong Son. As his unit approached a likely ambush location, Lieutenant Hepp radioed for artillery strikes in the area, then moved forward with ten men to investigate some abandoned bunkers. After advancing 50 meters, the element was hit by intense fire from a reinforced Viet Cong company. Lieutenant Hepp tried to link up with the rest of his platoon, but the insurgents had closed behind him and had the small group surrounded. Without a radio, he led his men into the empty bunkers he had just checked and placed himself at the best point to control his men in defending their position until reinforcements arrived. When ammunition ran low, one of his men crawled out to retrieve some rifle ammunition and an anti-tank weapon. As he crawled back into the foxhole with them, however, an enemy shell exploded the weapon, killing the soldier and wounding Lieutenant Hepp. Regaining consciousness an hour later, he found himself nearly deaf, and only one man in his element remained unwounded. During the night, insurgents tried to creep into his position. Lieutenant Hepp calmly killed five of them at nearly point blank range. After directing the defenses of his nearly hopeless position against an overwhelming hostile force for over ten hours, Lieutenant Hepp received reinforcements and dauntlessly led his men through two more hours of fighting before the Viet Cong were driven off. First Lieutenant Hepp’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.