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 Specialist Fourth Class Ray D. McGuire (ASN: RA-15736857), 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 Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry, 2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four McGuire distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 16 February 1968 as a radio operator during a battalion reconnaissance-in-force mission near Hoc Mon in Gia Dinh Province. His company commenced the operation with a heliborne assault near its objective. The helicopters received such a heavy volume of fire upon reaching the landing zone, that only five made it to the ground. The fusillade became so intense that the committed platoon was ordered to withdraw to permit suppressive fires to be brought against the enemy. Five men were severely wounded and pinned down during this movement. The rest of the company was then landed a short distance away and given the mission of reestablishing contact with the enemy and extracting its own casualties. As the company began its maneuver, it made contact with insurgent troops occupying well-fortified positions, and the enemy opened fire with grenades, automatic weapons and small arms fire. Specialist McGuire, despite the withering fusillade, volunteered to lead a rescue party to aid the wounded. He led eight men across fire-swept rice paddies, until the small group was finally pinned down and could move no further. Proceeding on his own, Specialist McGuire crawled fifty meters through intense enemy fire to reach his fallen comrades. One by one, Specialist McGuire dragged the wounded men back to a safe area from which they were later evacuated. During this entire period, he maintained radio contact with his commander and the helicopter gunships overhead. In order to prevent the enemy from overrunning or flanking his position, Specialist McGuire was forced several times to interrupt his evacuation mission to bring fire on the enemy. He continuously exposed himself to a withering hail of bullets while extracting the wounded, firing on the enemy and adjusting the supporting helicopter fire. His valiant actions and inspirational leadership on the battlefield were decisive factors which prevented annihilation of the trapped casualties at the hands of a numerically superior enemy force. Specialist Four McGuire’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.