Battery B, 2d Battalion, 19th Artillery and its attached units distinguished themselves by extraordinary heroism in action against hostile forces at Landing Zone Bird, Binh Dinh Province in the Republic of Vietnam, on 27 December 1966. During the early morning hours, two North Vietnamese Army battalions, under the cover of heavy mortar, recoilless rifle and machinegun fires, launched human wave assaults against the outnumbered defenders of the landing zone. The artillerymen lowered the tubes of their howitzers and placed direct fire into the charging enemy ranks as they overran the perimeter defensive positions. As the determined enemy forces continued their assault and penetrated the position, the artillerymen increased the tempo of their fires, supporting the rifle and grenade fire of the infantrymen. The enemy assault continued until he overran four of the six howitzer positions of Battery C, 6th Battalion, 16th Artillery. The displaced guncrews regrouped around the remaining howitzer positions and continued to place effective fire on the attackers. The gun sections, supporting the heavy rifle and grenade fire from the infantry, poured devastating antipersonnel rounds into the enemy penetration halting the attack. Exploiting the fire of the howitzers, a composite force of artillerymen and infantry launched a counterattack which recovered the overrun howitzers and drove the enemy from the position. The guncrews remanned their recaptured howitzers and conducted an aggressive pursuit-by-fire upon the fleeing enemy and his withdrawal routes while the infantrymen reestablished the defensive perimeter. At daylight, 211 enemy dead were found in and around the landing zone. The men of Battery B, 2d Battalion, 19th Artillery and its attached units, by their outstanding bravery, determination, esprit de corps, and devotion to duty, decimated a superior enemy force and maintained the integrity of a key forward support base while, in so doing, bringing great credit on themselves, their units and the United States Army.