The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Brigadier General [then Colonel (Infantry)] Alexander Russell Bolling, Jr. (ASN: 0-26066), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States from February 1968 to July 1969 while assigned as Commanding Officer, 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division, and as Chief of Staff, XXIV Corps. Two days after his brigade was alerted to deploy to the Republic of Vietnam to reinforce United States forces in the beleaguered Northern I Corps Tactical Zone, following the communist 1968 Tet Offensive, General Bolling arrived at Chu Lai with the advance party of his separate Brigade Task Force and immediately began extensive preparation for the early tactical employment of his command. The highly efficient reception, processing and orientation procedures instituted by General Bolling enabled the brigade to rapidly assemble, organize for combat and conduct an air and motor move of 120 miles to a forward base at Gia Le, and to be committed to operations in the vicinity of the city of Hue – in the remarkably short period of eleven days after closing in-country. Despite extreme personal turbulence resulting from the emergency criteria under which the brigade had deployed, and problems generated by initially limited supplies and equipment in the forward operational area, General Bolling, by dint of his professional skill, ingenuity, untiring energy, and effective fighting organization which displayed an aggressive, valorous, offensive combat spirit in seeking out and destroying the enemy. In rapid succession, in Operations CARENTAN II and NEVADA EAGLE with the 101st Airborne Division, General Bolling exhibited a high order of personal bravery and gallantry while leading his troops in battle. In September, General Bolling again found himself preparing to move his brigade to another critical area to participate in the defense of Saigon. Even before his brigade had closed at the arrival airfield of Bien Hoa, General Bolling had assumed an offensive mission in Operation TOAM THANG PHASE II, a search and destroy operation which lasted until 12 December 1968. As Chief of Staff, XXIV Corps, General Bolling displayed the same outstanding degree of leadership and competence as staff director and coordinator which had marked his brilliant generalship and performance as a brigade commander. General Bolling promptly and efficiently redirected the efforts of the staff towards the accomplishment of the newly emphasized missions of ferreting out and destroying the Viet Cong infrastructure and supporting the accomplishment of the national pacification objectives in the area. General Bolling was singularly responsible for planning 14 major operations, to include such successful joint-service, bi-nation operations as DEWEY CANYON, MAIN CRAIG and APACHE SNOW, which carried the Allied offensive power into heretofore untouched enemy sanctuaries and supply bases contiguous to the Laotian border, decimating major enemy formations, capturing and destroying such large quantities of arms, munitions and food that the enemy was unable to mount an effective Spring offensive in Northern I Corps during 1969, and closing his primary infiltration routes and lines of communications into Central I Corps. General Bolling’s outstanding accomplishments and exceptionally meritorious service both as a Brigade Commander and Corps Chief of Staff have contributed significantly to the effectiveness of the United States counterinsurgency effort in the Republic of Vietnam and reflect great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the United States of America.

(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Alexander Russell Bolling, Jr. (ASN: 0-26066), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as a Member, Joint Brazil U.S. Military Commission from 1972 to 1973. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of General Bolling culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of his and reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army.