or capture the 100 American infantrymen in Company C within hours . The Americans were running out of ammunition and could not move because of heavy casualties . There were no available landing zones for medical and rescue helicopters to touch down . Alpha Troop heard of their plight on a radio and rode in with an infantry company to rescue their comrades . `` Troop A skillfully penetrated four kilometers of nearly impassable jungle terrain and unhesitatingly mounted a fierce assault directly into the heavily fortified North Vietnamese army position , '' the presidential proclamation states . When the battle was over , more than 70 Americans lay dead or wounded . For retired Capt. John Poindexter , who led the rescue , the award is for all Vietnam veterans , many of whom came home to an unwelcome and sometimes hostile reception . `` The veterans of Alpha Troop feel very strongly that we stand in the stead of all veterans of the war of Vietnam , '' Poindexter told CNN before the ceremony . `` The fact is that we 're being singled out for a very distinct honor , a very rare one , but it
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nearly 40 years after members of a U.S. cavalry unit put their lives in peril to save 100 fellow soldiers trapped under blistering enemy fire in Vietnam , they received the Presidential Unit Citation on Tuesday . Veterans watch Tuesday 's ceremony , which recognized members of a U.S. cavalry unit . It 's an honor their captain says is long overdue . President Obama awarded the citation for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry to 86 members of the Army 's Troop A , First Squadron , 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment . `` These soldiers defined the meaning of bravery and heroism , '' Obama said at a White House reception honoring the group 's heroics . `` It 's never too late . You can never say it enough . ... We honor your service , and America is forever grateful . '' On March 26 , 1970 , the 120-member Troop A volunteered to rescue an American infantry company surrounded by an overwhelming enemy force at a site on the Cambodian border called the Dog 's Face . The enemy had survived hours of aerial and artillery bombardment and was expected to kill