1st Battalion 22nd Infantry VUA Citation for Kontum

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

The Battle of Kontum

Citation for the Valorous Unit Award

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Headquarters, United States Army Vietnam
APO San Francisco 96375

GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 883

16 April 1970

AWARD OF THE VALOROUS UNIT AWARD

TC 439. The following AWARD is announced.

By direction of the Secretary of the Army, under the provisions of paragraph 202.1g(2), AR
672-5-1, the Valorous Unit Award is awarded to the following named units of the United
States Army for extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations during the
periods indicated:

The 1ST BATTALION 22D INFANTRY, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION and its attached units:

Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry (4 February 1968 to 10 February 1968) (First Oak
Leaf Cluster)
Company C, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry (4 February 1968 to 10 February 1968)
Company C, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor (4 February 1968 to 12 February 1968)
A Troop, 2d Squadron, 1st Cavalry
D Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry
Aero Rifle Platoon, A Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry
Aero Rifle Platoon, B Troop, 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry
C Battery, 4th Battalion, 42d Artillery (31 January 1968 to 12 February 1968)
B Battery, 5th Battalion, 16th Artillery (4 February 1968 to 12 February 1968)
3d Platoon, B Company, 4th Engineer Battalion (31 January 1968 to 12 February 1968)

The citation reads as follows:

The 1ST BATTALION, 22D INFANTRY, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION and its attached units
distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroism while engaged in military operations in
defense of Kontum during the period 30 January 1968 to 12 February 1968. In the early
morning hours of 31 January 1968, the men of the unit made comtact with the 24th North
Vietnamese Army Regiment and attached Viet Cong forces which were attempting to seize the
city of Kontum. During the ensuing hours of fierce street fighting, the men of the 1ST
BATTALION, 22D INFANTRY, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION inflicted heavy casualties on the
determined enemy force. Braving small arms and automatic weapons fire, battalion personnel
succeeded in driving the enemy out of the city. Withdrawing rapidly, the enemy occupied
previously prepared lines of defense. In these entrenchments and fighting positions, the
enemy regrouped and joined with its reserve forces to establish a formidable threat to the
future security of the embattled city. Tenaciously, the infantrymen assaulted the enemy
lines, and with the support of accurately placed artillery fires, they forced the enemy to
abandon his position leaving behind enormous quantities of weapons and communication and
medical supplies. The men of the 1ST BATTALION, 22D INFANTRY, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION
displayed extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty which are in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect distinct credit upon themselves and the
Armed Forces of the United States.

GEORGE L. MABRY, JR.
Major General, US Army
Chief of Staff

JOHN A. O'BRIEN
Colonel, AGC
Adjutant General

Streamer for the Valorous Unit Award as authorized for the 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
for the Battle of Kontum 1968

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