The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Specialist Fourth Class William Byron Fulton (ASN: RA-16786115), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 5 October 1965, Specialist Fulton was attached as a medical corpsman to the 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade which was participating in a battalion-sized search and destroy mission in the vicinity of Hill 55, War Zone “D”, Republic of Vietnam. During the course of action, the second platoon of Company A had accumulated approximately twenty casualties while acting as the assault force on the Viet Cong left flank and were now in dire need of medical assistance. Notwithstanding the fact hat he had sustained a painful shoulder wound earlier in the battle, Specialist Fulton refused to be evacuated and continued to aid wounded men of the embattled platoon. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he exposed himself on numerous occasions to the intense hostile automatic weapons and mortar fire to administer first aid to the wounded and curtain certain death. While performing these critical duties, he sustained a second wound but still refused medical aid and evacuation until the battle had subsided and all the wounded personnel were evacuated. Upon arriving at the casualty collection point, Specialist Fulton’s professional competence and devotion to duty, despite his own painful wounds, were determining factors in saving the lives of at least ten men. Specialist Fourth Class Fulton’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.