The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting a gold star in lieu of the second DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS to

for service as set forth in the following

                 CITATION:

                               "For heroism and extraordinary achievement  in aerial flight while  serving  with  Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364,  Marine Aircraft  Group  Sixteen,  First Marine Aircraft  Wing  in  connection with  combat  oper- ations against  the  enemy  in  the  Republic of  Vietnam.  On  the  morning of  8 January 1971, First Lieutenant Tennent launched as Section Leader of a flight of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned  the emergency  extraction of a  seven- man Marine  reconnaissance  team which was  heavily engaged  in combat with a numerically  superior  hostile  force in  the Que  Son Mountains  in  Quang Nam Province.   Arriving  over  the  designated  area, he  established an orbit  while  a Bronco aircraft and  two  Cobra gunships  on station  attacked  the enemy  posi- tions.  While in orbit, he was informed  that the  beleaguered patrol  was  pinned down by intense hostile automatic weapons and small arms fire in a bomb crater at  the end  of a ridge  with tall  trees on two sides,  steep slopes on the other two sides, and  the  enemy  fire  coming  from  positions  which  cut  off  all  possible avenues of escape. After directing the gunships to lay down a smoke screen, First Lieutenant Tennent,  undaunted by  the heavy  volume of hostile  fire directed at his  aircraft,  coordinated his approach with  the covering fire of the Cobras and skillfully  maneuvered  to a  partial  hover with  the  nose  wheel  and  one  main mount  touching  the  ground  in  the crater.  Despite a strong  tail  wind,  enemy rounds  impacting  around  his  helicopter,  and smoke  which soon engulfed the area  and  severely  restricted visibility,  he  held his  transport  in  its  precarious position  until all of the  Marines had  embarked and  then lifted  out of the area and proceeded to  Landing  Zone  Baldy.   First  Lieutenant  Tennent's  courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering  devotion to duty  in the face of great  per- sonal  danger 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."