The  President  of  the  United States  takes  pleasure  in  presenting  the  AIR MEDAL (Gold Star in lieu of the Second 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. On the afternoon of 15 December 1969, Corporal Neuman launched from  Landing Zone Baldy as Crew Chief aboard  the lead aircraft in a flight of  to CH-46  transport  helicopters   assigned  the  emergency  mission  of
extracting  a Marine who  was seriously  ill with a critically high  fever and trans- porting food and medical supplies to a unit operating in the Que Son Mountains in  Quang  Nam  Province  which  had  been  isolated  for  two  days  because  of extremely  adverse  weather  conditions.  Arriving  at the designated area, he was informed that the beleaguered unit was  located at the end of a box canyon  high in   the  mountains.    Undaunted  by  deteriorating   weather  conditions   which severely  restricted both  visibility and his  aircraft's area of maneuverability and the difficulty of guiding his  helicopter over the rugged,  enemy-infested  terrain, Corporal Neuman  alertly observed  and reported  the position of  aircraft in the flight  and provided  precise clearance  information  which  enabled  his  pilot to coordinate his flight with that of supporting Cobra gunships and avoid obstacles in  the  area as he  maneuvered through  the dense overcast  on two unsuccessful attempts to  locate  the  Marines in the  canyon.  When a  small  opening  in  the clouds was  located on the third  flight into the canyon,  Corporal Neuman skill- fully guided  his pilot down through  the overcast  to a landing  in the  extremely small  zone.   After directing  the expeditious unloading of  the vital supplies,  he embarked the  seriously  ill  Marine  and  then  provided  clearance  data  as  his CH-46  lifted  out of  the area  and departed for  the medical facility at  Landing Zone  Baldy.  Corporal  Neuman's  courage,  superior  professionalism,  and un- wavering   devotion   to  duty  at   great   personal   risk  were   instrumental   in accomplishing  the  hazardous  mission  and  were  in  keeping  with  the  highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.