The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private Vinton Walsh Dove (ASN: 33746975), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in
action against the enemy while serving with Company C, 37th Engineer Combat Battalion, 5th Engineer Special Brigade, Special Engineer Task Force (Provisional), Engineer Special Brigade Group (Separate), FIRST U.S. Army, in action against enemy forces at Normandy, France, on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Private Dove landed with his bulldozer at 0830 hours, D-Day. Upon finding conditions on the beach behind schedule because of the fierce enemy opposition, he voluntarily pulled numerous drowned wheeled and track-propelled vehicles out of the surf. While his bulldozer was a specific target for cannon and mortar fire, he cleared a road through the shingle at Beach Exits E-1 and E-3. Having completed that dangerous mission, Private Dove immediately set to the task of removing two road blocks at Exit E-1 and filling in an anti-tank trap at Exit E-3, thereby permitting vehicles and armor to move out in support of the Infantry troops. Private Dove’s courage and bravery in performance of his tasks under intense enemy fire reflects high credit upon himself and upon the Armed Forces of the United States.