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) Branko B. Marinovich (ASN: 0-2319333), 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, 3d Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. First Lieutenant Marinovich distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 26 May 1967 while serving as Commanding Officer of an infantry company on a search and destroy mission forty miles from Pleiku. When another company of his battalion was attacked and surrounded by a North Vietnamese force, Lieutenant Marinovich immediately rushed his company to assist in repelling the attack. En route to the battle area, his unit was stopped by heavy automatic weapons fire, but they fought their way through the enemy positions to the friendly company. Finding the commanding officer of the company mortally wounded, Lieutenant Marinovich took command and organized both units into a defensive perimeter. Ignoring his personal safety, he exposed himself to hostile fire to direct air and artillery attacks on enemy positions. He was painfully wounded in the latter stages of battle but refused medical aid until the enemy was defeated. Still under sporadic fire, he directed the evacuation of friendly casualties and was wounded once more before being evacuated himself. First Lieutenant Marinovich’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.