William Frederick Otto, United States Army:  For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam on 11 May 1966.  Lieutenant Otto, a member of Company A, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 502d Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, was participating in a search and destroy mission when they captured a Viet Cong who revealed that a four-company ambush was set forward of the company along their axis of advance.  To foil the ambush, Lieutenant Otto placed a point squad well to the front of his platoon that was the company’s lead element.  Approximately 0900 hours, Lieutenant Otto’s platoon came under intensive small arms and automatic weapons fire from the front.  Lieutenant Otto rushed forward, braving the insurgent fire, to estimate the situation.  He then placed two squads on line to assault the well-entrenched Viet Cong and again braved the hostile fire fearlessly moving along the assault line to direct his squad leaders.  The platoon attempted to assault it but was pinned down as the insurgents unleashed a devastating volume of fire.  Lieutenant Otto called for artillery fire and airstrikes,  With professional skill, he called artillery fire to within 30 meters of his position making a direct hit on a machine gun emplacement, however, this failed to destroy it.  Realizing that the bunker must be destroyed, Lieutenant Otto again personally braved the fire and crawled to within 15 meters of the machine gun bunker.  Disregarding the danger from other machine gun replacements in the immediate area, he arose and threw a grenade into the bunker destroying the gun and crew.  Being fully exposed so he could throw the grenade, another machine gun mortally wounded him.  Lieutenant Otto’s courage in actual combat served as an inspiration to his men and was instrumental in overcoming the hostile insurgents.  Lieutenant Otto’s extraordinary heroism and supreme sacrifice are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.

 

Otto became the fifth member of OCS Class 4-65 to become a member of the  Legion of Valor.  The other members are George Hughes DSC, Walter ‘Joe’ Marm MOH, Gordon Mansfield DSC, and Frank Primmer DSC.