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 Sergeant Francis John Vondracek (ASN: 20647558), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 24 December 1942, during the Papuan Campaign at Buna, New Guinea. Sergeant Vondracek, acting platoon leader, pushed the right flank of his platoon forward through buffalo grass until stopped by heavy machinegun fire. When his platoon was relieved by another unit, Sergeant Vondracek, armed with four grenades and covered by three riflemen, worked forward alone to attack the pillboxes which had harassed his company all day. From within six feet of one pillbox, he threw his four grenades, wiping out five of the enemy inside and permitting the advance to continue. Sergeant Vondracek then worked his way to the rear, filling his helmet with grenades, and crawled back to his forward position. Knowing the location of the two other pillboxes, one covering the other, he crawled to a shell hole near them and with deadly accuracy threw his grenades through the apertures of the pillboxes, destroying the occupants of both of them. Sergeant Vondracek’s extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 32d Infantry Division, and the United States Army.