The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Lynn Hudson Smith (ASN: 0-5336701), United States Army (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in action while serving as a Platoon Leader with Company A, 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division in the Republic of Vietnam on 1 February 1968. On this date, Company A was conducting a sweep mission in the city of My Tho when its lead element was suddenly attacked and pinned down by a well-entrenched Viet Cong force. Upon observing that the company was unable to move to the assistance of the point element, Lieutenant Smith courageously led his platoon through the intense hostile fire in an attempt to reach the endangered point element. Fighting his way from house to house, Lieutenant Smith brought his men to the edge of a large open area where they were once again pinned down by the enemy fusillade. Realizing that the members of the point element would have to be brought to safety before artillery could be called in, Lieutenant Smith, unmindful of his personal safety, made several attempts to lead a party of his men across the fire-swept area but was forced to turn back each time because of the extremely heavy enemy fire. Determined to rescue the lead element, Lieutenant Smith sighted an unoccupied jeep, ran to it, and drove it through the murderous barrage of enemy fire to the point element. After loading the wounded members of the point element onto the jeep, he started back through the enemy’s zone of fire and had almost reached cover when he was mortally wounded by an enemy round. Lieutenant Smith’s gallant actions enabled the point men to reach safety and contributed significantly to his company’s efforts to drive the Viet Cong from the city. Lieutenant Smith’s extraordinary heroism and concern for his comrades-in-arms were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.