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 Captain (Infantry) James Perry Hales, III (ASN: 0-5312419), 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, 4th Battalion, 23d Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Captain Hales distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 28 April 1968 as an infantry company commander during a reconnaissance-in-force mission near Xom Bao Long. His unit suddenly came under a barrage of rocket propelled grenade, small arms and automatic weapons fire from well-fortified North Vietnamese positions. Captain hales immediately maneuvered his armored carrier toward the aggressors and sprayed them with machine gun fire, enabling his men to withdraw with the wounded to a more strategic location. Two enemy emplacements began sending a heavy volume of machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire at his vehicle. A grenade round penetrated the side of the carrier, immobilizing it and temporarily deafening him. Finding his machine gun inoperative, Captain Hales picked up five grenades and crawled under the devastating fire to one of the bunkers holding a four-man rocket team. Pitching two grenades into the enemy position he killed all four occupants. Crawling another ten meters toward the second emplacement, he threw his remaining three grenades which silenced the machine gun and killed two more communist soldiers. After destroying the two positions, he directed artillery and air strikes and succeeded in routing the enemy. Captain Hales’ 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.