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 Captain (Infantry) Harold E. Bolin (ASN: 0-5325046), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with 5th Infantry Division Advisory Detachment, Advisory Team 70, United States Army Advisory Group, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Captain Bolin distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 29 November 1967 as senior advisor and commander of the Vietnamese units defending the Bo Duc District Headquarters during an enemy attack. In the early morning hours, a Viet Cong regiment unleashed a savage mortar and rocket barrage on the Bo Duc compounds, coupled with a simultaneous ground assault. Captain Bolin unhesitantly left the safety of his command bunker and raced through a withering hail of bullets and shrapnel to an exposed perimeter bunker. Realizing that the insurgents greatly outnumbered his troop, he quickly called for artillery support, helicopter gunship fires and tactical air strikes. Heavy enemy machine gun fire raked his position, and several rockets exploded against his bunker. Heedless of the intense fusillade, Captain Bolin relayed artillery adjustments to the guns and directed devastating fighter aircraft bombing runs. The determined attackers broke through the headquarters’ southern compound in a particularly fierce charge. Captain Bolin fearlessly exposed himself to deadly enemy automatic weapons fire to cover his troops’ withdrawal to the adjoining north compound. A Viet Cong light machine gun squad isolated him from his comrades as he maneuvered to join them, so he crawled to within ten meters of the hostile soldiers and destroyed them and their emplacement with a hand grenade. Assuring himself that all his troops had reached safety, he called napalm and bomb strikes on the insurgents as they hotly pursued their temporary gains. Despite the heavy defensive fires, the fanatical Viet Cong unleashed three more massive ground assaults. Captain Bolin successfully directed the garrison’s repulsion of these attempts and then led a fierce counterattack, inspiring his troops to rout the remaining Viet Cong. His gallant leadership in close combat turned a probable defeat into brilliant victory over a numerically superior force. Captain Bolin’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.