Darrell Edward Burns
Sergeant, U.S. Army

On 22 June 1970, then-Specialist Four Darrell Edward Burns was serving with Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, in South Vietnam.

On that day, SPC4 Burns was a member of a rifle company deployed against hostile forces in the Kingdom of Cambodia. SPC4 Burns' squad was deployed in a company-size perimeter when it began to receive small arms and rocket fire from an enemy force of unknown size. After the initial contact subsided, SPC4 Burns detected movement to the front and moved outside the perimeter to obtain a better position from which to throw fragmentation grenades on the enemy. SPC4 Burns threw a grenade in the direction of the hostiles and the grenade hit a tree and bounced back toward the company perimeter. Knowing that the grenade would explode close to his comrades, SPC4 Burns unhesitatingly lunged in the direction of the grenade as other personnel scrambled for cover. SPC4 Burns threw himself on the grenade and absorbed the total fragmentation of the grenade as it exploded. SPC4 Burns' extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Burns received a posthumous promotion to the rank of Sergeant.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross 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.

General Orders: Department of the Army, General Orders No. 32 (August 3, 1972)

Honors

The name Darrell E Burns is located on Panel 09W Line 082 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Sergeant Darrell Edward Burns is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Everett, Snohomish County, WA, in Block 73.