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 Captain (Infantry) John Louis Hitti (ASN: 0-99872), 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 B, 5th Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Captain Hitti distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 1 November 1966 while serving as a Task Force commander during the relief of a unit besieged by Viet Cong. When his first platoon had left the landing zone and moved halfway across an open field, it was struck by accurate machine gun fire and pinned down. While Captain Hitti directed the return fire, he spotted a hidden bunker and personally killed its occupants. Ignoring the bullets striking around him, he then crawled across the ravaged field to another bunker, killed one man, and routed the others. As one insurgent fled, Captain Hitti darted in and out of a hedgerow, in full view of the Viet Cong, and killed him. He cleared a third bunker, then stood up in the midst of the fighting to signal the pinned down platoon to withdraw. Deploying his men to approach from three sides, Captain Hitti led them in overrunning the enemy and destroying the fortified enemy complex. After evacuation helicopters had removed the casualties, he began adjusting artillery fire which protected his company from Viet Cong assault throughout the night. His tactical skill and fearless composure under fire turned an imminent disaster into a costly defeat for the enemy. Captain Hitti’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.