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 Sergeant First Class George Henry Heaps (ASN: RA-13529784), 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 Detachment A-302, Company A, 5th Special Forces (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant First Class Heaps distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions during the period 2 November 1966 to 5 November 1966 while serving as Special Forces commander of a Vietnamese force during a search and destroy mission in Tay Ninh Province. After infiltration, Sergeant Heaps led his force in a search for Viet Cong units. He engaged small hostile forces, routed the insurgents from their fortifications, and advanced only to encounter increasing numbers of the enemy. Ignoring the intense hostile fire, he moved to an exposed position on high ground and established radio contact with supporting aircraft to guide air strikes on the Viet Cong. Sergeant Heaps quickly followed up with an assault on the enemy positions, inflicted severe damage, and then withdrew and set up a helicopter landing zone to evacuate casualties. The next day, while his unit was distributing ammunition it had received, a Viet Cong regiment attacked the area. Against overwhelmingly superior numbers, he kept his force together and held off the insurgents throughout the day and night. The next morning, during a human wave attack, Sergeant Heaps and another American were severely wounded and left for dead as his men retreated under the hostile onslaught. When he revived, he led a small band of survivors out of the area to an extraction zone, set fire to dry brush to attract helicopters, and was successfully evacuated. Sergeant First Class Heap’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.