The  President  of   the  United  States  takes  pride  in  presenting  the 
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (Gold Star in lieu of the Second Award) to

for service as set forth in the following

                 CITATION:

                                "For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot 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 morning of 13 January 1970,  First Lieutenant Williams launched as Division Leader of a flight of  three  CH-46  transport  helicopters  assigned the  emergency extraction  of a Marine  reconnaissance  team  which  was  operating  in  a mountainous  area in Quang  Nam  Province.   Arriving  over  the  designated  area,  he found that the beleaguered patrol was unable to move from its position on a ledge because of a sheer  drop  of one  thousand five  hundred feet to  the valley below  and  enemy soldiers  who were  in firing positions above  the ledge.   Undaunted by  the con- stant  threat of hostile  fire and  turbulent  weather conditions,  First  Lieutenant Williams ably coordinated  his approach with suppressive  fire of supporting gun ships and  skillfully maneuvered  his aircraft to a hover with  his ramp level with the ledge but a few  feet away because of the proximity of his rotor  blades to the mountainside.  Expertly manipulating his controls, he maintained a stable hover while each of the Marines jumped aboard and then quickly departed the hazard- ous  area.   Later that  day,  First Lieutenant Williams  responded  to  an  urgent request   to extract  an  eight-man  long-range  reconnaissance   patrol  from  the slopes of a  mountain  which  overlooked Thong Duc.   The  team  had  captured large  quantities  of valuable  documents  and equipment  from  an  enemy  base camp  but were able to  move only four  hundred meters  from  the camp  before realizing  that the vital  material they  had obtained  would hamper  their  move- ments  and expose  them to  hostile  action.  Undeterred  by a dense  cloud cover over the rugged terrain and the intensity of the enemy fire directed at his CH-46, First Lieutenant Williams boldly  maneuvered his helicopter on the only possible avenue of approach, maneuvered to a hover three feet above the obstacle strewn zone, and resolutely maintained his precarious position until all the Marines and their  materials were  aboard his  aircraft before  departing the  dangerous  area. First   Lieutenant   Williams'  courage,  superior   airmanship,  and   unwavering devotion to  duty  in  the  face of  great  personal  danger  were  instrumental  in accomplishing  the  hazardous  missions  and  were  in  keeping  with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service."