Paul V Healey

Paul V. Healey DSC. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Private First Class Paul V. Healey (ASN: RA‐11472068), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company B, 716th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Group, 18th Military Police Brigade. Private First Class Healey distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 31 January 1968 while serving with a military police reaction force during a combined Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army offensive against Saigon. The enemy had launched concerted attacks on installations throughout the city, and his unit was called to dislodge a Viet Cong suicide squad which had taken control of the American Embassy compound. Heed‐less of enemy fire directed at him, Private Healey rammed the main gate of the Embassy with a jeep in an attempt to gain entrance to the compound. When the gate failed to open, he shot the lock off with a pistol and fearlessly led a charge into the bullet‐swept grounds. Braving a savage hail of automatic weapons fire and exploding grenades, Private Healey moved from position to position, killing eight insurgents with rifle fire and grenades as he advanced. He then moved to the rear of the com‐pound to rescue an embassy officer trapped on the second floor of a house occupied on the ground floor by Viet Cong. Fully exposed to withering hostile fire, he raced across the open lawn and hurled a riot gas grenade into the building. The insurgents continued to resist, and he fearlessly approached the building a second time through intense fire and tossed weapons and ammunition up to the unarmed officer. Assured that the man had a means of defending himself, Private Healey withdrew to cover and placed fierce fire on the Viet Cong in the building until they were annihilated. His dauntless and aggressive efforts in close combat saved the life of the fellow American and were instrumental in the successful defense of the United States Embassy. Private First Class Healey’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.