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 Michael D. Buchanan, 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 Special Operations Augmentation (Command and Control North), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant Buchanan distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 17 July 1969 while serving as assistant leader of an eight-man reconnaissance team on a mission to capture an enemy prisoner of war. Establishing an ambush near the crest of a hill deep within enemy-held territory, Sergeant Buchanan and his team immediately made contact with elements of a North Vietnamese force. As the firefight progressed, hostile reinforcements approached from every side, hemming in the Americans. Throwing grenades as he ran, Sergeant Buchanan led a break-through assault and repositioned the team at the top of the hill. As the enemy attacked from all sides, Sergeant Buchanan radioed for air support and extraction craft. The team leader meanwhile had advanced beyond the perimeter in an attempt to capture a wounded communist, and when rocket fire knocked him down, Sergeant Buchanan braved the fusillade to drag the injured leader to safety. Then, having called in air strikes on the enemy positions, he charged several North Vietnamese who had crept within meters of his position, killing two and wounding a third. He dashed through the hail of fire to capture the enemy casualty and, shielding him from further wounds, dragged him back within the perimeter. Although wounded in his determined action, he directed gunship fire to cover his comrades’ movement as they worked their way down the slope to an improvised landing zone to be extracted. Although wounded himself, Sergeant Buchanan loaded the other members of the team before he was extracted. Sergeant Buchanan’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.