By Direction

of the

President of the United States

the

Distinguished Service Cross

Is Awarded 

to

Guy A. Byrd

(Posthumously)

Rank and Organization:   Platoon Sergeant E-7, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division

Date and Place:  5 April 1967,  Republic of Vietnam

Reason:  For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam:  Platoon Sergeant Byrd distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 5 April 1967 while leading his unit in a search and destroy mission near Song Mao.  As soon as Sergeant Byrd's Company was infiltrated by helicopter, it received intense hostile fire and was unable to advance against the strongly fortified North Vietnamese positions.  After the landing of a reinforcing platoon and an aerial bombardment of the enemy positions, his company began to advance on line, meeting stubborn resistance from insurgent machine gunners.  Sergeant Byrd led his platoon in an aggressive assault against the numerically superior North Vietnamese force, but his men were again pinned down by intense hostile fire.  At this point, Sergeant crawled to within 20 meters of a fortified position that was protecting an enemy machine gun.  When he was close enough to the emplacement, he pulled the pin a a hand grenade and raised up to throw it.  He was immediately hit in the chest by machine gun fire.  Sergeant Byrd was unable to throw the grenade, but realized that it explosion could kill several comrades near him.  Sacrificing his own life to save his fellow soldiers, he fell on top of the grenade and absorbed the force of the explosion.  Platoon Sergeant Byrd's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.