THE WALL OF FACES

Sergeant Darrell Edward Burns, Served with Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, United States Army Vietnam.

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. Your Distinguished Service Cross citation attests to your courage and devotion to your fellow soldiers. May you rest in eternal peace.

CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Sergeant Darrell Edward Burns, 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, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Sergeant Burns distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 22 June 1970 while a member of a rifle company deployed against hostile forces in the Kingdom of Cambodia. On that date Sergeant Burns' squad was deployed in a company-size perimeter when it began to receive small arms and rocket fire from an unknown-size enemy force. After the initial contact subsided, Sergeant Burns detected movement to the front. Disregarding his personal safety, he moved outside the perimeter in order to gain a satisfactory position from which to use fragmentation grenades on the suspected enemy. Sergeant Burns threw a grenade in the direction of the hostiles and the grenade hit a tree and bounced back toward the company perimeter. Realizing that the grenade would explode close to his comrades and the number of friendly casualties that could result, Sergeant Burns unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, lunged in the direction of the grenade as other personnel scrambled for cover. Sergeant Burns sacrificed his life as he threw himself in the direction of the grenade and absorbed the total and lethal fragmentation effects of the grenade as it exploded. Sergeant Burns' extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
See https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/5104

On the remembrance of your 70th Birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

HOOAH

Thinking of you, Darrell, and your family. I remember you as kind and thoughtful and was honored to be your friend.