The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Captain (Armor) John Hulsey Hays (ASN: OF-104780), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Captain Hays distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 8 November 1968 while serving as the commander of an armored cavalry troop near An Loc. As Captain Hays was leading two platoons of his unit and a light tank section on a sweep through an area of dense rubber trees, a North Vietnamese Army force unleashed an intense barrage of small arms, automatic weapons and antitank rocket fire. He immediately led a charge toward the attackers, pushing them into another section of the rubber trees. The remaining enemy then joined with a still larger North Vietnamese Army element and began a determined defense. During the course of the fierce engagement, Captain Hays manned a machine gun and directed a tremendous volume of suppressive fire, while also coordinating his force through the use of hand and arm signals which left him dangerously exposed. Suddenly his vehicle received a direct hit from an antitank rocket, knocking him to the ground. Although dazed, he ignored his injuries and, remounting the track, continued to fire the machine gun. When a group of North Vietnamese soldiers made a direct assault on his position, he killed two of them and scattered the rest. A few moments later his vehicle received another direct hit from an antitank rocket mortally wounding him. Captain Hays’ extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.