The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Neil Philip Farmer (ASN: RA-16333431), 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 Troop B, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry, Americal Division. Sergeant First Class Farmer distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous action on 11 April, 1969 as a platoon sergeant during a search and clear mission near the village of Bao Binh Ha. While he was destroying an unoccupied enemy bunker, his platoon came under heavy automatic weapons fire from a well fortified ambush position. Sergeant Farmer immediately returned to his vehicle, crawling seventy five meters through open rice paddies, receiving wounds in his right arm from the hostile fusillade. Although wounded he directed three tracks in an assault which over ran the communists’ strongholds. Enemy fire however, soon erupted from a second location and the lead vehicle sustained several direct hits from antitank and recoilless rifle rounds, wounding or killing the entire crew. Leaving the safety of his own vehicle, Sergeant Farmer crossed the bullet-swept rice paddies to assist the injured in the other vehicle. As the communists intensified their barrage, he mounted the disabled track and was beginning to place suppressive fire on the foe when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the gun shield of his weapon, wounding him fatally. Sergeant First Class Farmer’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.