The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Master Sergeant [then Sergeant First Class] Kenneth Mills Roraback (ASN: RA-12322146), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Detachment A-21, Company B, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Master Sergeant Roraback distinguished himself on 24 November 1963, when a large Viet Cong force attacked the Special Forces Camp at Hiep Hoa, Republic of Vietnam. Master Sergeant Roraback, working in the radio room, immediately began to notify higher headquarters of the situation. The heavy volume of high and flat trajectory fire destroyed the generators, damaged the radios, and knocked out a portion of the radio room. Despite this, Master Sergeant Roraback remained at his station and attempted to repair his radio. When it became apparent that the radio was beyond repair, Master Sergeant Roraback destroyed and set fire to the remainder of what was left of the radios, equipment, and radio room to keep the Viet Cong from salvaging anything later. This accomplished, Master Sergeant Roraback maneuvered through hostile fire and mortar fragments, and manned a light machine gun concentrating his fire on the Viet Cong within the compound. Master Sergeant Roraback valiantly remained at his position and covered the withdrawal of friendly forces as long as he could. Reluctantly, he left his position when ordered by his Commanding Officer to withdraw from the camp and moved into the darkness to rejoin his comrades. In the confusion of battle, Master Sergeant Roraback was captured by the Viet Cong only when he no longer had any means to resist and was in captivity until issuance of a presumptive finding of death by Headquarters, Department of the Army, on 1 July 1966. Master Sergeant Roraback’s extraordinary heroism in close combat against a numerically superior Viet Cong force was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.