Captain Michael F. Carpenter, was awarded the Distinguised Service Cross because of his extraordinary heroism in the Republic of Vietnam on 20 July 1965. The then Staff Sergeant Carpenter, a Special Forces Communications Sergeant, was serving at Camp Bu Dop, Vietnam, when the camp was attacked by a Viet Cong force of about two infantry battalions. During the initial barrage of insurgent mortar, recoiless weapons, and small arms fire, Sergeant Carpenter positioned himself in the Special Forces mess hall and immediately radioed higher headquarters to request flare aircraft and fighter support to aid the already hard-pressed friendly defensive force. As the hostile barrage increased in intensity, the mess hall and radio equipment were destroyed. With the aid of a wounded comrade, to whom he had previously administered first aid, Sergeant Carpenter left the remains of the mess hall and attempted to enter the camp’s communications bunker to continue the vital task of maintaining radio contact with higher headquarters. Despite his valiant efforts, Sergeant Carpenter was denied entrance when incoming mortar rounds ignited highly flammable supplies which had been stored in the bunker’s immediate vicinity. With his communications mission temporarily thwarted, Sergeant Carpenter and his companion actively entered the fierce fire-fight, which had raged about them, by the timely destruction of a five-man Viet Cong force which had reached the camp’s defenses and were about to commence fighting one of the defensive mortars upon the friendly forces. After insuring that his wounded comrade was attend to, Sergeant Carpenter moved to a machine gun and continued to direct deadly fire upon the attacking insurgent horde. Upon learning that a Special Forces Officer had been wounded, Sergeant Carpenter, with complete desregard for his own personal safety, rushed through the intense hail of hostile fire and and successfully carried the wounded officer to the Camp Commander’s bunker. Despite a painful wound sustained in his heroic rescue of a fallen comrade, Sergeant Carpenter refused aid and rushed to the camp’s west wall, engaging another Veit Cong force with suppressive fire while resupplying the friendly defenders with much needed grenades and small arms ammunition. As the battle raged on, he twice fought his way to the communications bunker, killing several Viet Cong while enroute to obtain weapons and re-establish radio communications with higher headquaters. After repairing the communications equipment, Sergeant Carpenter regained radio contact and directed devastating air strikes upon the hostile forces. Although painfully wounded and nearing physical exhaustion, Sergeant Carpenter refued immediate air evacuation, electing to remain and assist in the establishment of firm communciations channel and reorganization of the defensive structure before he was finally evacuated. Sergeant Carpenter’s extraordinary heroism was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.

CPT. Carpenter joined the Legion of Valor in 1973.