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 DeForest S. Conner (ASN: RA-16931966), 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 (Airborne), 501st Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Private First Class Conner distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 4 February 1968 as a rifleman of an airmobile infantry company conducting a search and clear operation in the Hai Lang area. His platoon was advancing toward a village believed to be an enemy stronghold when it was suddenly taken under intense hostile automatic weapons fire from the right flank. Private Conner noticed that the fire seemed to be coming from a large enemy bunker adjacent to the concrete house. He jumped up and ran to a position ten meters from the enemy emplacement. He was wounded in the side during this maneuver, but he refused aid and began to fire into the fortification, allowing his platoon time to deploy for the engagement. He next attempted to throw a grenade into the bunker to destroy it. He was shot in the right arm. Disregarding his safety, he switched the grenade to his left hand and made an accurate throw. The explosion stunned the North Vietnamese Army soldiers in the bunker. Private Conner continued to place suppressive fire on the position and was wounded a third time. Realizing that the bunker would have to be completely demolished to eliminate its fire, he dashed forward, exposed to a hail of bullets, and tossed a grenade inside the emplacement which killed all its occupants. Unassisted, he then crawled to the rear for medical treatment. Private First Class Conner’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.