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 a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Captain (Infantry) Steven Lloyd Arnold, United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force while serving with Company A, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 502d Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, in action on 25 August 1967. Captain Arnold, Company Commander, was directing a search and destroy operaiton conducted by platoon size forces of his company. Upon initial contact with the enemy, one of the men in Captain Arnold’s element was wounded. Captain Arnold immediately called in a Medevac ship. When the helicopter approached the landing zone, furious automatic weapons fire broke out and downed the Medevac ship. It was now determined that the company was engaged with a dug-in North Vietnamese reinforced company. Captain Arnold with complete disregard for his own safety, exposed himself to the murerous hail of enemy fire to secure the downed helicopter and treat the wounded. He remained in an exposed position to supervise care of the wounded and dall in gunships. He was constantly in thye open, under fire, as he maneuvered and directed his platoons to repel the enemy assault. For six hours, he tirelessly peformed his duties while under fire. That evening Captain Arnold moved to the forward edge of his defensive perimeter to personally check on measures which were taken to prevent a counterattack. AT this time, the perimeter came under extremely heavy automatic weapons and mortar fire. On the initial mortar barrage, Captain Arnold received shrapnel fragments in the face and both eyes. He continued to command his unit however, and refused to be evacuated. His fearless courage and profesional leadership resulted in many of his men’s lives being sved and ultimate victory for his company. Captain Arnold’s outstanding display of gallantry and his intense devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.

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 Captain (Infantry) Steven Lloyd Arnold, United States Army, for gallantry in action against a hostile force while serving with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 502d Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, on 17 June 1967, near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam. While on a search and destroy mission, Captain Arnold, platoon leader for the Recondos, halted his men shortly before dusk to set up a night defensive perimeter. Immediately following the establishment of the perimeter an undetermined number of Viet Cong began to probe the Recondos’ area. The enemy opened up with automatic weapons and hurled grenades into the friendly position, initiating a raging firefight. Realizing that he was outnumbered and foreseeing the precarious situation that was rapidly developing, Captain Arnold took immediate action. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Captain Arnold rushed from his covered position and ran through the bitter enemy fire to the location of his radio-telephone operator. Captain Arnold immediately called in artillery support and exposed himself to the hail of enemy bullets once again as he courageously moved throughout the area directing the supporting fire and the firepower of his own men. As the firefight raged on, Captain Arnold was all over the perimeter, giving aid and comfort to the wounded, and encouragement to his men. In one instance Captain Arnold, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, rushed across the perimeter through the murderous fire of the enemy, to the aid of one of his wounded men, and carried him to the safety of the perimeter where he administered the badly needed medical attention. After the enemy was beaten back into the seclusion of the jungle, Captain Arnold personally led a small patrol outside the perimeter to police up the discarded weapons of the enemy. Captain Arnold’s outstanding display of gallantry in action and his devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.