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 First Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Terry B. Bessinger, 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 119th Aviation Company, 52d Combat Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. First Lieutenant Bessinger distinguished himself during an attempt to rescue a besieged allied reconnaissance patrol located deep in enemy controlled territory. As Lieutenant Bessinger was piloting his helicopter on a visual reconnaissance mission, he received an urgent evacuation request from a friendly ground unit. He immediately instructed the unit to move to an extraction area while he proceeded to a nearby base to secure necessary rescue equipment. Upon returning to the area, he discovered that the enemy situation necessitated an evacuation attempt in a heavily wooded area. While attempting to extract the ground force, his evacuation helicopter was shot down by enemy rocket fire. Although injured in the crash, Lieutenant Bessinger immediately removed the injured crewmen from the wreckage. Suddenly, he was attacked by two enemy soldiers. Without hesitation, he whirled and killed the two soldiers with a burst of fire from his rifle. He then established a defensive position and eliminated another enemy soldier as the soldier charged out of nearby cover. Soon, a friendly Light Observation Helicopter landed in a clearing a short distance from the unit’s position. Just after Lieutenant Bessinger carried the two most severely wounded men to the aircraft for evacuation, the aircraft was disabled by enemy fire as it attempted to lift off. Moving to the scene of the crash, the lieutenant defended his wounded comrades against the hostile force until a helicopter could land and remove the two critically wounded soldiers. He then continued to defend his comrades until his entire element was extracted. First Lieutenant Bessinger’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.