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 Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW-2) Kenneth N. Dicus, United States Army, for gallantry in action from 14 November 1965 to 17 November 1965, while serving as an Aircraft Commander with Company B, 229th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter), 1st Cavalry Division, in support of combat operations in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. With the enemy threatening to overrun Landing Zone X-Ray, Chief Warrant Officer Two Dicus voluntarily led a two-helicopter flight to the landing zone in order to re-supply his beleaguered comrades and evacuate the wounded. The battle was so intense that Medical Evacuation helicopters refused to land. Despite the danger, and knowing that two aircraft had been damaged by enemy weapons fire near the area, that another had been forced to land in no man’s land just outside the landing zone perimeter, and that the battlefield was about to be surrounded by an overwhelming enemy force, Chief Warrant Officer Two Dicus led seven separate sorties to the landing zone in order to deliver urgently needed supplies and evacuate severely wounded Soldiers. Later, on 17 November, with Landing Zone Albany suffering a heavy enemy assault, Chief Warrant Officer Two Dicus led a daring rescue mission on a moonless night, again saving severely wounded Soldiers when Medical Evacuation helicopters refused to land. Chief Warrant Officer Two Dicus’ actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.