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 Specialist Fourth Class Alan Kent (ASN: RA-16855606), 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 B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Specialist Four Kent distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 18 May 1967 while serving with an airborne infantry platoon on a combat mission near Duc Pho. His unit was moving to reinforce a heavily-engaged sister platoon when it was fiercely attacked and pinned down by an enemy force firing automatic weapons. Specialist Kent was painfully wounded in the initial barrage, but he refused aid and dashed through a sheet of enemy fire to reach a fallen comrade and carry him to safety. As his platoon attempted to maneuver against the enemy positions, the intensity of the fusillade increased, inflicted several casualties to the friendly forces and caused the unit to pull back. Specialist Kent saw one of the new casualties trapped in the open and moved across the bullet-swept battlefield to aid him. Finding the man dead, he charged into the face of withering fire and destroyed a nearby enemy bunker with deadly rifle fire and grenades. Automatic weapons fire from another position began raking his location, and he assaulted the second emplacement. After being knocked to the ground and wounded by an enemy grenade, he staggered to his feet, continued his charge on the bunker and demolished it. He then conducted a one-man frontal assault on a machine gun bunker. As a hail of bullets cut down brush and kicked up dirt all around him, he fearlessly pressed the attack and silenced the weapon with a hand grenade. His aggressive charge and devastating fire forced the determined enemy to break contact and flee the battlefield. Specialist Four Kent’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.