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 First Lieutenant (Infantry) Merle J. Sharpe (ASN: 0-5239461), 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 A, 5th Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Sharpe distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 7 May 1968 as the commanding officer of a mechanized infantry company during an operation in Gia Dinh Province. During his first few moments of contact with a reinforced Viet Cong battalion located in a built-up residential area, Lieutenant Sharpe was severely wounded and his command vehicle destroyed by enemy rocket fire. Refusing evacuation, he moved to another track, propped himself up in a highly vulnerable position and continued to direct his company’s maneuver, supporting artillery, gunships and air strikes. When the air strikes were completed Lieutenant Sharpe personally led his unit in a house-to-house assault on the Viet Cong. Despite the pain of his wounds, he refused medical evacuation for six hours, until the enemy had been routed from the area. As a result of his courageous leadership, the enemy lost two hundred and thirteen dead by body count. First Lieutenant Sharpe’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.