The  President  of  the  United  States  takes  pleasure  in  presenting  the BRONZE STAR MEDAL to

for service as set forth in the following

               CITATION:

                   "For heroic achievement in connection with operations against insurgent  communist (Viet Cong) forces in  the Republic of Vietnam  while serving  with  Marine Medium  Helicopter Squadron  364,  Marine  Aircraft Group  Thirty-Six,  First Marine Aircraft Wing.  On 9 January 1968,  Corp- oral CASE  launched as  Crew Chief of  the lead aircraft  in a flight  of  two CH-46  transport  helicopters assigned  the mission of extracting  three sur- vivors  of a UH-34  helicopter  that had crashed  approximately  twenty five miles southwest of Phu Bai. After arriving at the crash site in a densely for- ested area on the slope of a mountain,  Corporal CASE,  observing that his aircraft's hoist  mechanism was inoperable,  quickly and efficiently repaired the damage,  while  the second aircraft  extracted two of  the survivors  and departed  the area after it  experienced  mechanical  difficulties.   The  third survivor, a corpsman, had not as yet been located and the rescued men had reported  that he was  immobilized by  a fractured leg  and was hiding from numerous Viet Cong soldiers who had searched the crash site earlier. When a visual search of  the area failed to disclose the injured man's position due to the denseness of the jungle canopy, Corporal CASE courageously volun- teered to search the area on foot.  Although he was warned that his aircraft was low on fuel and would depart  the area within fifteen minutes,  he com- pletely  disregarded  the  dangers involved and  unhesitatingly  lowered  by hoist  to  the  ground.   With  resolved  determination,  he fearlessly  recon- noitered the surrounding area and quickly located the injured corpsman in a  thicket of trees  approximately fifty  meters down  the  slope.  Displaying exceptional presence of mind  and initiative, he immediately set off  smoke flares to mark  his position for  the rescue aircraft.  After struggling desper- ately for almost ten minutes to carry the survivor up  the rugged  mountain terrain to  the crash site,  which was  the only  position  into which  a  hoist could be lowered,  Corporal CASE realized that additional men and a litter were needed to effect the extraction.  He reluctantly left  the corpsman after making him as comfortable as possible and  assuring him that  another res- cue aircraft would arrive shortly  to evacuate him.  Information concerning the   injured  man's  condition and  location  was  immediately  relayed   to another aircraft  section which  expeditiously located and  safely  evacuated him.   Corporal  CASE's courageous actions,  despite the dangers involved, bold determination and selfless  devotion to his fellowman were  in keeping with  the highest traditions of  the Marine  Corps and of  the  United States Naval Service."

Corporal CASE is authorized to wear the Combat "V".