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 Dallas W. Johnson (ASN: RA-19383782), 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 Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. At approximately 2345 hours, 9 June 1965, the united States Army Special Forces Compound at Dong Xoai, was attacked by a hard-core Viet Cong force estimated to be composed of two regiments. During the initial attack, Sergeant Johnson was awakened by the sound of exploding mortar and recoilless weapons rounds and small arms and automatic weapons fire. He shouted the alarm to the others and immediately rushed out of the team hut through an intense hostile mortar barrage to a position along the defensive perimeter. During the initial phase of the camp’s defense, Sergeant Johnson, with complete disregard for his own personal safety and despite a painful shrapnel wound, moved from position to position in order to give timely advice and much needed moral support to the friendly Vietnamese troops within the compound. As the ferocity of the Viet Cong assault reached a frenzied peak, the indigenous defenders began to withdraw from their positions, endangering the defense of the camp. Sergeant Johnson, cognizant of these events, rushed through the intense hail of hostile fire and successfully regrouped the withdrawing elements into effective fighting units and gave them the impetus to resist the murderous attack. Despite all defensive efforts, it became necessary for the friendly forces to withdraw to a new defensive perimeter in the adjoining District Compound. As the battle raged into its fourteenth hour, Sergeant Johnson continued to direct devastating fire upon the Viet Cong from his new position inside the District Headquarters building. As hostile fire became so intense as to allow an insurgent flame thrower team to advance within a few feet of the building, Sergeant Johnson, exposing himself once more to a hail of hostile fire, stepped in front of an open window and quickly annihilated the advancing insurgents. During the course of the ensuing battle, two members of his Special Forces team were wounded defending the District Compound’s south gate. Sergeant Johnson immediately directed their successful evacuation and personally carried one of his fellow comrades to the relative safety of the District Headquarters building. His bravery, leadership, and self-sacrifice throughout the ordeal at Dong Xoai were major factors contributing to the successful defense of the camp. Sergeant First Class Johnson’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.