The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to First Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Richard K. Deburgh (ASN: 0-5418869), United States Army, for heroism not involving actual conflict with an armed hostile force. First Lieutenant Deburgh was serving as an artillery forward observer with the 8th Airborne Battalion, Vietnamese Airborne Division, during a search and destroy mission along the In Puch River, Pleiku Province. During a river crossing operation, three Vietnamese soldiers were swept away by the swift current to a point 200 meters downstream. The distressed soldiers were able to cling to rocks in the river’s mid-stream just above a rampaging waterfall. Lieutenant Deburgh hurried to the scene and immediately set about to rescue the trapped soldiers. From along the river bank he fashioned two long bamboo poles and with his Reconnaissance Sergeant holding one end of the pole and himself the other, he unhesitatingly plunged into the river’s swift current. Steadying himself with one pole he extended the second bamboo pole to the soldiers. One by one he pulled them to safety. Lieutenant Deburgh, without hesitation, placed the lives of his fellow men above his own as he succeeded in saving the three Vietnamese soldiers from drowning. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.