The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant General Le Nguyen Khang (51/303243), Army of the Republic of Vietnam, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force during the period from 27 June 1967 to 29 June 1967, while serving as Commanding General, III Corps, Army of the Republic of Vietnam and III Corps Tactical Zone. On 27 June 1967, General Khang was informed that a Task Force was being dispatched to the vicinity of Suoi Long Creek in the Long Khanh sector to locate the 275th Viet Cong Regiment, believe to be in the area. Moments after the airmobile elements of the 52d Ranger Battalion landed in the area, they became heavily engaged with the well entrenched Viet Cong. Without regard for his personal safety, General Khang, in flight aboard the Command and Control helicopter, directed his pilot to make numerous low-level passes over the battle area. After determining that the enemy was too well fortified to be routed by a ground attack, he directed the battalion to regroup its forces and called in artillery fire and air strikes to saturate the area. After conferring with the Senior Advisor, III Corps Tactical Zone, the United States 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment was committed to the battle. Early the following morning, General Khang, despite great personal danger, landed his aircraft near the command post of the 52d Ranger battalion which was still under heavy attack by intense enemy fire. Moving through the battle area, he offered words of advice and encouragement to the Vietnamese soldiers and United States advisory personnel at the scene. On the morning of 29 June 1967, General Khang landed near the Command Post of the United States Army’s 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment under intense enemy automatic weapons fire. The fierce fighting continued until he called in an airstrike less than three hundred meters away, silencing the Viet Cong positions, which undoubtedly saved many casualties and avoided valuable loss of equipment. Informed that a Viet Cong prisoner had been captured near a forward position, he ordered an immediate interrogation of the Viet Cong. When he learned that no interpreters were available, he mounted a vehicle and moved through an area where several armored cavalry assault vehicles had been hit by recoilless rifle fire, in order to interrogate the prisoner personally. The detailed information which he extracted was immediately incorporated into the battle plans, resulting in the overpowering of the enemy force with minimum loss of life. As a result of his determined and gallant efforts, a well-armed and equipped North Vietnamese main force unit was defeated, and many American and Vietnamese lives were saved. General Khang’s heroic and valorous actions at the risk of his own lifer were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam.