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

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  morning  of  8  January   1971, Sergeant Jeske launched as Crew Chief aboard the lead aircraft in 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, his flight established an orbit while a Bronco aircraft and two Cobra gun ships attacked the enemy positions.  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 one end  of a small ridge  with tall trees on two sides,  steep slopes  on the  other two sides,  and enemy fire  coming from  positions which  cut off all possible avenues of escape.  After his pilot had directed the gun ships to lay down a smoke screen, Sergeant Jeske,  undaunted by  the heavy  volume  of hostile fire  directed at  his aircraft,  resolutely remained in a dangerously exposed position in order to more effectively  provide  clearance  information and  guide his  transport  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  heli- copter,  and smoke which  engulfed the area and severely restricted visibility,  he directed  the  embarkation  of  the  Marines  and  then  boldly  delivered   highly effective  rifle fire  at the  enemy while  guiding his aircraft out of  the dangerous area  and  on  to  Landing   Zone  Baldy.    Sergeant  Jeske's  courage,   superior professionalism,  and  unwavering 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  Sates  Naval Service."