First Sergeant MANUEL C. BUSTAMANTE, recieved the Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary heroism while serving with B. Company, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) 1st Special Forces on 16 March 1969. Then a sergeant first class, he was serving as a platoon leader with a mobile strike force company on a reconnaissance-in-force mission near Ben Het Special Forces Camp. Encountering a hill protected with North Vietnamese fortifications, his unit initiated an assault but was pinned down a short distance in front of the primary bunker line. Sergeant Bustamante, crawling across open terrain in full view of the communists, succeeded in penetrating the enemy perimeter. Scrambling to the nearest bunker while throwing grenads, he destroyed the emplacement and killed its two occupants. Having provided a breach through which his men could follow, he proceeded to clear additional entrenchments along the perimeter. Later, after the eastern section was secured, he and his men were pinned down under fire from another bunker line. Heaving grenades and unleashing volleys from his rifle, he again assaulted the fortification singlehandedly, killing the three enemy soldiers inside. Because of his superb leadership, the hill was eventually cleared of the enemy. Sergeant First Class Bustamante’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.

First Sergeant Bustamante joined the Legion of Valor in 1979.