The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General William Eugene DePuy (ASN: 0-34710), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility, during the period March 1968 to January 1969, as the Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this assignment, General DePuy displayed extraordinary breadth and depth of professional knowledge, intellectual brilliance and exceptional judgment and initiative. He proved a unique contribution to the success of the national effort in Vietnam by his continuing efforts in four critical areas: national military strategy in Southeast Asia, planning and execution of pacification programs in Vietnam, modernization and improvement of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces, and the conduct of international negotiations with the North Vietnamese. Throughout this period General DePuy was also charged with the supervision, coordination and guidance of a whole range of counterinsurgency activities extending from development of joint doctrine and training to the conduct of complex, highly sophisticated counterinsurgency operations. Further, General DePuy was responsible for Joint Staff supervision and inter-departmental coordination of sensitive special operations programs. General DePuy’s exemplary performance of duty has reflected the highest credit upon himself, the United States Army and the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Third Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Fourth Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Lieutenant General William Eugene DePuy (ASN: 0-34710), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility, as Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, from March 1969 to February 1973. As a principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff, General DePuy demonstrated unique leadership and managerial ability across a broad range of activities encompassing the entire scope of Army Staff responsibilities. He served as the focal point for Army resource management during a period of intense turbulence with Army manpower reduced from over one and one-half million men, heavily concentrated in Southeast Asia, to a smaller, highly professional force of less than 900,000. Much of the success of the restructuring and realignment in the face of this turbulence is attributable to the planning, programming and reviewing mechanisms he established within the Army Staff. In order to minimize costs, shorten development time, and assure timely high-level management reviews, General DePuy was instrumental in developing and implementing a new management concept for the Army material acquisition process. At the time he assumed the responsibilities of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, costs and types of automatic data processing and management information systems were spiraling upward. Through his direct supervision, Army management information systems became standardized and are being implemented Army-wide with a concurrent savings in dollars and personnel. Under his guidance the Army has developed a steady management system that provides for efficient high level management exceptions and insures the efficient use of resources for studies and analysis. Under his initiations as director a service of special studies having major impact on the Army was completed. He was instrumental in the development of a concept and plans for re-organization of the Continental United States Army into separate commands to improve force readiness and to integrate training and doctrine and establish separate agencies for analysis and for operational test and evaluations that would be responsive to Department of Army needs. Lieutenant General DePuy has been particularly effective by articulating the Army’s programs to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and to the Congress. His exceptional achievements, his perceptive insights into intricacies of defense management, and his dedicated devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and the United States Army.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General William Eugene DePuy (ASN: 0-34710), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility, as Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division during the period from March 1966 to February 1967, in the Republic of Vietnam. During this time, General DePuy performed his multitudinous duties with integrity, tenacity, and the highest degree of professional competence. Demonstrating consummate skill, great leadership and astute guidance, he earned for himself the admiration and respect of his superiors and subordinates alike. The personal interest he exhibited in the enlisted man was of invaluable significance in developing the high espirit de corps and aggressive fighting spirit which characterized the men of the 1st Infantry Division. General DePuy has always displayed absolute understanding and incisive foresight in conducting brilliant and unprecedented tactical maneuvers. His phenomenal comprehension of each situation was apparent by judicious employment of combat and support units in every aspect of numerous complex operations. Through his initiative, resourcefulness, adaptability to change, and readiness to resort to the expedient, he devised ingenious and imaginative stratagems which have been unparalleled in the fight against the Viet Cong. During his entire tenure, his consistently displayed extraordinary ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable tactical obstacles and thereby contributed immeasurably to the United States counterinsurgency effort in the Republic of Vietnam. General DePuy’s extraordinary achievement is in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General [then Brigadier General] William Eugene DePuy (ASN: 0-34710), United States Army, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility, as Assistant Chief of Staff, J-3 (Operations), U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, during the period from May 1964 to March 1966. General DePuy’s extraordinary achievement is in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the United States Army.