Realizing that his rifle platoons were heavily engaged, Captain Keys organized his command group into an assault element and led them against the enemy, who were firing into his position.

While completely overrunning the enemy camp, his company succeeded in killing 183 North Vietnamese soldiers and capturing eight prisoners and nearly 200 weapons.

On that date, Captain Keys company came under intense enemy small arms, mortar and rocket fire while moving through a narrow valley.

Shouting encouragement to his men, Captain Keys heroically closed with the enemy in hand-to-hand combat in the dense underbrush and personally killed four of them.

Working with tireless precision, he assisted in planning and controlling supporting arms during continuous infantry-armor attacks as well as during two highly successful helicopter-borne assaults against the entrenched communist forces.

By his sound tactical advice, personal courage and calm coordination of supporting arms, Major Keys played a significant part in repelling the fierce enemy attacks.

Constantly attempting to improve the employment of supporting arms, he introduced the use of low flying helicopters to adjust naval gunfire.

This system, which he perfected, has been credited with saving many friendly lives in that it provided for continued delivery of accurate naval gunfire during periods of low visibility.

The offensive was culminated on 28 January 1973 when the Vietnamese Marines reached the Cua Viet River, only minutes before the ceasefire was put into effect.

Major Keys devotion to duty, courage under fire, and exemplary professionalism were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.