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 Private Do Van Tan, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, for extraordinary heroism in action while a member of Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 41st Regiment, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Private Do Van Tran distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving an opposing force in the Republic of Vietnam on 10 January 1968. During an attack by an estimated North Vietnamese Army battalion on the command post of the 2d Battalion, 41st Regiment, Private Tan went to his place of duty with four American advisors in a bunker. The numerically superior enemy, attacking with rockets, mortars, automatic weapons, small arms and hand grenades, mounted a coordinated assault from several directions and overran the defensive positions, throwing hand grenades into the fortified positions as they passed through the command post. A grenade was thrown into the bunker occupied by Private Tan and the American advisors. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his personal well-being, Private Tan grasped the grenade and threw himself on it, shielding the American advisors from the blast and shrapnel. Private Tan, through his unselfish and valorous sacrifice of his own live, prevented possible loss of life or serious injury to the four American advisors who were in the bunker. Private Tan’s conspicuous gallantry and heroic action were in the highest tradition of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.