The  President  of  the  United States  takes  pleasure  in  presenting  the  AIR MEDAL (Bronze Star for the First Award)

for service as set forth in the following

                 CITATION:

                               "For  heroic achievement in aerial  flight while  serving with  Marine  Medium  Helicopter  Squadron  364,  Marine  Aircraft  Group  Sixteen, First Marine Aircraft  Wing  in  connection with  combat operations against  the enemy  in the  Republic of Vietnam.  Late on  the  afternoon of  26 August 1969, First Lieutenant Dutton launched as Copilot aboard the  lead aircraft  in a flight of two  CH-46 transport helicopters assigned  an emergency  medical evacuation mission in support of a Marine unit which was heavily engaged in combat with a hostile  force  in  a mountainous  sector  of  Quang  Nam Province.   During  the approach to the beleaguered unit's landing zone,  his aircraft was approximately 800 feet above  the valley floor when  it came under  an extremely  heavy volume of enemy  machine  gun  fire  from  commanding  terrain  on  both  sides  of  the valley.  The intense hostile fire destroyed most of the instrument panel, damaged the entire boost system,  and ignited the cabin area.    Undaunted  by  the flames directly  behind  him  and  the  heavy  volume  of  enemy  fire,  First  Lieutenant Dutton  quickly  checked to  be sure  that  the pilot  was  uninjured,  calmly  and expertly monitored  the instruments  that remained,  and provided  a continuous flow of  vital information  which enabled  his pilot to maneuver the helicopter to avoid trees and rough terrain and land in an open rice paddy just as the controls froze  and  flames  began  to  engulf  the  CH-46.   Rapidly  leaving  the  burning helicopter in  which ammunition was exploding,  he delivered a steady volume of fire  upon enemy positions in  the area  until  the  crew  had  exited  the  downed aircraft and  boarded the wingman's  CH-46 which had landed nearby.   The last to embark,  he continued to deliver suppressive  fire until clear of the precarious area.   First Lieutenant Dutton's courage,  superior airmanship,  and unwavering devotion  to duty in the  face of great  personal danger were  in keeping with  the highest  traditions of the  Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service."