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

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

               "For  conspicuous gallantry  and intrepidity  in action 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 afternoon of 8 November 1970,  Major Jensen launched as  Section Leader of a  flight of two CH-46 trans- port  helicopters  assigned   the  emergency  medical   evacuation  of  a  critically wounded  Marine  from  a  unit  operating in a densely-jungled sector of Charlie Ridge in  Quang Nam Province.  When  a ceiling varying from  one  hundred  to three  hundred feet in adverse weather  severely  restricted visibility,  he  directed his wingman and one of the escorting Huey gunships to establish an orbit at Hill 65 while he proceeded to the extraction site with  the other gunship.  Arriving in the  vicinity of  the ground unit,  he utilized instructions  from  the Marines who listened  to the  sound of  his engines to guide  him up the steep hillside  through the  heavy  rains and overcast to a hover above  the pick-up site.   Despite  gusty winds and the difficulty of maintaining a hover with his rotor blades within three feet  of the rocky hillside,  he expertly  manipulated  his controls  to  maintain  a relatively  steady hover during  the twenty minutes required to hoist the casualty aboard.  While en route to  Da Nang,  Major Jensen received  an urgent  request for  the medical  evacuation of  another  seriously wounded Marine  from a  unit which  was  heavily  engaged  in  combat  with  a  hostile  force  at Charlie Ridge approximately  one thousand meters southwest of  the previous  extraction  site.  After transporting his patient to the hospital, he resolutely returned to the desig- nated  landing  zone  on  Charlie  Ridge  which  was  on  a  small  ridge  and was surrounded  by steep mountains on three sides.  Forced  to  abort  his  first app- roach when  his aircraft came under  intense enemy fire,  Major Jensen  directed the Marines  to move the casualty to a bomb crater one  hundred and fifty yards away and then coordinated his second approach with the covering fire of the two supporting gunships.  Undaunted by  the extremely heavy volume of hostile fire, several rounds of  which penetrated his helicopter, he skillfully  maneuvered to a hover and boldly remained in his precarious position for the five minutes requir- ed to hoist the wounded Marine aboard He then lifted out of the dangerous area and proceeded to the hospital at Da Nang.  By his courage, superior airmanship, and  unwavering devotion  to duty in  the face of grave  personal danger,  Major Jensen  was  instrumental  in  accomplishing the hazardous missions and upheld the  highest  traditions of  the  Marine  Corps  and  of  the  United  States  Naval Service. "