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 Brian R. Esher, 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, 4th Battalion, 23d Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Esher distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 13 September 1968 during a mine sweep operation south of First Support Base Santa Barbara in Tay Ninh Province. As his unit proceeded along Route 4, a North Vietnamese unit sprang an ambush employing rocket-propelled grenades. In the initial barrage, the first three armored personnel carriers were struck and disabled. Specialist Esher along with four other men who survived the salvo scrambled aboard the following vehicle as the platoon attempted to move out of the ambush site. When their armored vehicle was stalled by an exploding rocket grenade, they quickly dismounted and established a defensive perimeter around the personnel carrier. Setting up a machine gun position, Specialist Esher unleashed a suppressive barrage on the hostile force who sought to close in on the element now cut off from the rest of the platoon. Twice he returned to the smoking vehicle to obtain ammunition and once more to call in and direct gunship fire on hostile positions. Receiving orders to rejoin the platoon, Specialist Esher positioned his men advantageously on the vehicle and set off in the badly damaged vehicle at a painfully slow speed. After finally reaching the location of his unit, he helped supervise the evacuation of the more seriously wounded. Only after he and his comrades had retraced their paths through the ambush site and returned to the fire base did Specialist Esher accept medical care for his wounds received in the initial attack. Specialist Four Esher’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.