Navy Federal Credit Union

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 pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class Bruce M. Hughes, United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Detachment A-402, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant First Class Hughes distinguished himself while serving as senior advisor to a company of Vietnamese strike force troops during a battalion search and clear operation in the 44th Special Tactical Zone. His battalion was advancing on line through rice paddies when it was fired upon by an enemy force positioned in a thick wooded area to its front. The sudden crossfire of rocket, mortar, and machine gun fire completely immobilized the friendly troops and took a heavy toll in causalities. Sergeant Hughes immediately radioed the forward air controller for air support and then crawled forward through heavy enemy suppressive fire to mark his positions for the helicopter gunships with smoke grenades and reflecting panels. The enemy’s antiaircraft fire was so intense that one helicopter gunship was shot down and the others were driven off. Unable to maneuver his pinned down force, Sergeant Hughes quickly deployed his troops into a defensive perimeter, redistributed ammunition, and supervised the treatment of the wounded. When tactical aircraft arrived to provide air support, Sergeant Hughes again braved heavy rocket and machine gun fire as he moved forward of his force to remark its boundaries. In the fighting that followed, he exposed himself repeatedly to intense enemy fire as he simultaneously pulled back his troops to more secure positions and directed the fighter aircraft in their bombing runs. Sergeant Hughes the regrouped the battalion, established a hasty landing zone, and he saw the helicopter extraction of his force without further casualties. Sergeant First Class Hughes’ gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

Awards Received