ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE MEMBERS OF THE REGULAR ARMED FORCES OF SOUTH VIETNAM AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC RECENTLY RECEIVED GALLANTRY MEDALS FROM GENERAL HUYNH VAN CAO DURING AN AWARDS CEREMONY HELD IN THE PHONG DINH PROVINCE.

SIMILAR MEDALS WERE ALSO PINNED ON THE FLAGS OF THE FOUR ARMED UNITS. A LARGE CROWD WAS PRESENT AT THE CEREMONY.

IN THE CITATION, GENERAL HUYNH VAN CAO SAID ALL OF THEM HAD DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THE 346 OPERATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE GOVERNMENT SO FAR THIS YEAR.

THESE OPERATIONS RESULTED IN 4,582 COMMUNIST GUERILLAS KILLED, 626 WOUNDED, 906 CAPTURED AND 2,284 SURRENDERED. SEVERAL TONS OF ARMS OF ALL KINDS AND DRUGS WERE RECOVERED.

GENERAL HUYNH VAN CAO STRESSED THAT AMONG THE ARMS AND AMMUNITION TAKEN FROM THE COMMUNIST GUERILLAS WERE SOME MADE IN RUSSIA, CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

AFTER THE CEREMONY, CAPTURED GUERILLA WEAPONS - RANGING FROM HAND GRENADES TO PISTOLS - WERE PUT ON DISPLAY.