DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES
ARMY VIETNAM
APO San Francisco 96375
GENERAL
ORDERS
25 January 1969
NUMBER 291
AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED
SERVICE CROSS
1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced
posthumously.
ROLLINS, DALE F RA19467203 SSAN 516-36-3191
SERGEANT FIRST CLASS United States Army, Company A, 1st Battalion, 35th
Infantry, 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, APO 96262
Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross
Date action: 13 November 1968
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
Reason: For extraordinary
heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with
an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam: Sergeant First
Class Rollins distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions
on 13 November 1968 as first sergeant of an infantry company at Fire
Base Vera. When his unit came under an intense enemy mortar and rocket
attack, Sergeant Rollins unhesitatingly left the safety of the command
bunker and moved through the hostile barrage to check the bunker line
and render aid and encouragement to the wounded. Finding a critically
injured officer, he treated the man’s wounds and had him taken to
the helicopter pad for immediate evacuation. He next went to a section
of the perimeter which was receiving heavy small arms and grenade
fire. When he arrived he spotted and killed a North Vietnamese soldier
who had breached the perimeter. After warning the bunker line that the
aggressors bad broken through the defensive wire, he spotted four more
enemy troops. Alerting a fellow soldier to their location, Sergeant
Rollins approached and spoke to them In Vietnamese. Confused by his
action, the communists exposed themselves and were killed by him and
his comrade. One of the enemy who had crossed the perimeter opened
fire from the rear, mortally wounding Sergeant Rollins. Sergeant First
Class Rollins’ 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.
Authority: By direction of the President,
under the provisions of the Act of Congress; approved 25 July 1963.
