The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Corporal Cao Dang Hai, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy in connection with a fire in the gasoline storage area of Phu Vinh Airfield on 29 November 1968. Corporal Hai was riding alone on the back of a three-quarter ton truck dispatched to assist in the removal of ammunition and 55-gallon drums of- JP-4 gasoline, adjacent to a raging gasoline fire, about 20 to 30 feet in area. Corporal Hai repeatedly dismounted from the truck to attach a drag chain to the pallets of gasoline even though the heat was almost too intense to bear and could have engulfed him at any moment. Corporal Hai, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, managed to drag away eight pallets and eight 55-gallon drums of JP-4 fuel. On one mission, he managed to drag away a pallet of 12 drums from the main fire even though two drums on the pallet were still burning and threatening to ignite the others. With the pallet away from the main fire, the two drums were quickly extinguished, thus preventing further spread of the fire. What was most impressive and significant, however was that several boxes of 2.75 inch rocket ammunition were stacked within 10 meters of the fire when Corporal Hai first began moving the 55-gallon drums. Corporal Hai’s immediate concern for the mission, without thought for his own safety, reflects great credit upon him and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.