Maurice Aloysius Casey

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Maurice Aloysius Casey (RA15018701), Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. On 24 May 1966, Sergeant First Class Casey, in charge of an interpreter, one Vietnamese Special Forces Troop, and thirty-four civilian irregular defense troops was assigned the mission of establishing a radio relay site between a civilian irregular defense group company and Camp Plei Djereng. While moving his radio site to acquire better communications, he observed and attacked five Viet Cong. His force was then attacked by sixty-five North Vietnamese. Realizing this was a major force, he called for and directed air strikes against the insurgents. The engagement continued for two hours. When the first air controller was shot down by small arms fire, a second air controller reported seeing the pilot walk away from the wreck. Despite the intense fire and the fact that they were outnumbered, Sergeant Casey and four other men started forward with the intent of rescuing the pilot. Approximately 200 meters from the wreckage, the small force came under a heavy barrage of small arms fire and Sergeant Casey was wounded in the arm. Despite the painful wound, he used his good arm to fire his weapon and continued to move forward in search of the downed pilot until he was mortally wounded. Sergeant First Class Casey’s 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.
Headquarters, US Army, Pacific, General Orders No. 222 (September 12, 1966)