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 Private First Class James Anagnosotopoulos (ASN: US-27895175), 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 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Private First Class Anagnosotopoulos distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 27 February 1968 while serving as a company medic during a search and destroy operation southwest of Kontum City. Contact was made with a North Vietnamese Army company, and several members of his unit’s lead element were wounded in the first moments of the ensuing fire fight. Despite heavy concentrations of automatic weapons fire, Private Anagnosotopoulos raced across one hundred and fifty meters of open terrain to treat his wounded comrades. After pulling a seriously injured platoon leader to cover and giving him first aid, he moved forward to three casualties who were within ten meters of an enemy machine gun. As he worked on the wounded the North Vietnamese machine gunner raised up and began firing on his position. Private Anagnosotopoulos killed the enemy soldier with his pistol. He then completed giving aid to the three men and also treated two new casualties amid hostile sniper fire and hand grenades directed against him. He next organized the evacuation of his patients to a helicopter landing zone, personally carrying three of the wounded through the continuing enemy fire. When heavy fighting erupted a second time, Private Anagnosotopoulos rushed across one hundred meters of exposed land and aided in the rescue of five more wounded comrades. Private First Class Anagnosotopoulos’ 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.