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 Ralph J. Bleskan (ASN: RA-16698343), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Platoon Sergeant Bleskan was acting as platoon leader, Company B, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. On 7 February 1966 he was assigned the mission of advancing on the insurgent lines to assault a numerically superior hostile force that had a friendly rifle company pinned down for some four hours. The intense automatic weapons and machine gun fire killed several of his men, wounded others, and made any attempt to move up further almost impossible. Dauntlessly, Sergeant Bleskan stood up in the face of the intense fire and led his men forward., overrunning the first Viet Cong line of defense. During the rush, Sergeant Bleskan received a serious wound in the neck which he disregarded and continued to lead his men against the insurgent’s second defensive perimeter. Sergeant Bleskan noted his right element had been pinned down by fire from a nearby house. Responding quickly, he destroyed it with a round from a light anti-tank weapon. Having crushed the Viet Cong’s outer defenses, Sergeant Bleskan, with complete disregard for his safety, led his men across a machine-gun-raked rice paddy. Then crawling unarmed, he led four men into a ditch only ten meters from the Viet Cong and began launching grenades into their positions. He received another wound in the leg. Despite the pain from both wounds, he managed to lead one more assault on the insurgents, killing the remaining defenders in savage close-in combat. Sergeant Bleskan’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.