Sergeant Major Herman J. Kennedy, USA, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of his extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 26 July 1964, Sergeant Kennedy was serving as a Special Forces Advisor to a one hundred and ninety man Vietnamese Strike Force patrol. The patrolís mission was to attack and destroy a well fortified Viet Cong mountain stronghold. At 0530 hours, the forward element of the patrol, composed of Sergeant Kennedy, another United States Special Forces Sergeant, and four Vietnamese, positioned themselves within ten yards of the insurgent camp to keep surveillance of Viet Cong activity within the outpost and to wait for the main body of the patrol to move into position. Simultaneously, a magazine from a weapon of an advancing member of the main body was dropped and tumulted down the mountainside. Immediately, the Viet Cong opened fire on the advancing group. During the initial burst of automatic weapons fire and grenades, four members of the forward element were wounded. Sergeant Kennedy with complete disregard for his own personal safety, charged through the intense hail of hostile firepower and overran two Viet Cong emplacements, killing the gunners of each position. Despite leg wounds received from punji stakes during the initial assault and notwithstanding the fact that his weapon was out of ammunition, Sergeant Kennedy grabbed one of the dead insurgentís weapons and killed a Viet Cong grenadier and wounded another insurgent. Although exposed to hostile fire, he continued to direct the attack and personally moved three seriously wounded men to safer positions. He again joined the assault and continued on until the insurgents were routed from the area and their camp destroyed. Sergeant Kennedyís extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service.

SGM. Kennedy Joined the L.O.V. in 1976.