The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Specialist Fourth Class Donald F. Southwell (ASN: RA-68049077), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 13 April 1969 while serving as a medical aid man with the Aero Rife Platoon, Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, while searching an enemy base camp, the platoon suddenly came under intense hostile automatic weapons fire from a well-concealed bunker, and the leader of the point squad fell wounded directly in front of the enemy position. Disregarding the hostile fusillade, Specialist Southwell ran to aid his fellow soldier and, after placing suppressive fire on the enemy fortification, attempted to revive him with mouth to mouth resuscitation. L Upon realizing that the soldier had succumbed to his wounds, Specialist Southwell rejoined his platoon and saw that several other men had been wounded and were exposed to the enemy fire. Again disregarding his own safety, Specialist Southwell went to the aid of his wounded comrades and carried two of them to an evacuation point. Later as he was organizing teams to extract the wounded, the friendly element came under enemy sniper fire. Endangering his own life in order to protect the wounded soldiers, he directed the teams in assaulting and silencing the hostile position. After returning to the main contact area, Specialist Southwell, in spite of several fragmentation wounds that he had received, organized the remainder of his squad and continued to assist and encourage them until the hostile force had been defeated. Specialist Four Southwell’s outstanding courage, unwavering devotion to duty, and selfless concern for the welfare of his comrades were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.