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 Staff Sergeant Larry A. Fletcher (ASN: RA-15607302), 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, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Staff Sergeant Fletcher distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 29 September 1967 while serving as platoon leader of an airborne infantry company on a search and destroy operation near Chu Lai. The company’s forward platoons were savagely attacked and pinned down by a large Viet Cong force, and Sergeant Fletcher immediately led his men forward to reinforce the embattled elements. After advancing five hundred meters, his force came under a murderous enemy barrage from sell-concealed bunkers to the front. Completely disregarding his personal safety, Sergeant Fletcher, accompanied by one of his squad leaders, attacked the hostile emplacements with rifles and grenades. Enemy grenades landed all around him as the assaulted, but he refused to take cover, picked up the grenades, and hurled them into the insurgents’ bunkers. Fighting his way through a withering hail of bullets, he succeeded in destroying four fortifications. As he again led his men forward, they were hit a second time by intense automatic weapons fire from the front. Once more ignoring his welfare, Sergeant Fletcher charged the enemy position. Despite bullets striking all around him, he reached hand grenade range and destroyed the hostile bunker with a deadly throw. As they neared the trapped platoons, his troops came under heavy fire a third time. Armed with enemy grenades captured earlier, Sergeant Fletcher and his squad leader assaulted the last bunker complex through a curtain of fire. Maneuvering from bunker to bunker while the Viet Cong concentrated fire on him, Sergeant Fletcher demolished four positions with grenade and rifle fire and forced the remaining enemy to flee the battlefield. His fearless actions in the heat of battle resulted in the destruction of nine bunkers and the elimination of eighteen enemy soldiers. Staff Sergeant Fletcher’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.