The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Captain John Jay Barrett (MCSN: 0-85356/1677903), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (HMM-263), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 3 April 1969 Captain Barrett launched as Section Leader of a flight of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned the mission of inserting a six-man reconnaissance team on a high ridge in a densely jungled, mountainous area two miles south of Thuong Duc in Quang Nam Province. Arriving over the designated area he maneuvered his aircraft to a hover above a small bomb crater and disembarked the patrol, which almost immediately came under intense automatic weapons fire and ground attack from a large North Vietnamese Army force, wounding one Marine and pinning down the team. Undaunted by the heavy volume of enemy fire directed against his helicopter, Captain Barrett boldly remained in his precarious position to attempt the embarkation of the Marines but was forced to lift out of the area when the increased intensity of North Vietnamese fire prevented the reconnaissance team from moving. Following air strikes and rocket and strafing runs by supporting aircraft which suppressed the hostile fire sufficiently to enable the beleaguered patrol to move thirty meters to a more suitable pickup site, Captain Barrett resolutely commenced his approach to extract the endangered Marines. At 500 feet above the landing zone, he came under intense North Vietnamese automatic weapons fire. Fearlessly continuing his descent into the hazardous area he skillfully maneuvered to a landing near the reconnaissance team, boldly remained in his dangerously exposed position in the fire-swept zone until the Marines had embarked, and then departed for An Hoa. By his courage, superior airmanship and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Captain Barrett was instrumental in saving the lives of six of his fellow Marines, and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star to Captain John Jay Barrett (MCSN: 0-85356/1677903), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE (HMM-263), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the evening of 26 May 1969, Captain Barrett launched as Section Leader of a flight of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned the emergency extraction of a seven-man reconnaissance team which was pinned down by hostile fire in a ravine approximately three miles west of the An Hoa Combat Base. Arriving over the designated area, Captain Barrett found that the Marines were completely surrounded by a numerically superior enemy force and had sustained two casualties. As the zone was unsuitable for a landing, he skillfully maneuvered his aircraft in a low-altitude approach and when he saw a signal from the team, positioned the helicopter in a hover above the jungle canopy. As he stabilized his aircraft and a ladder was being extended to the Marines, the helicopter came under intense fire from hostile soldiers position both above on the ridges and below in the ravine. Although he was advised by his escort aircraft to depart the area because of the heavy volume of hostile fire, Captain Barrett realized that the team members’ only chance for survival was an immediate extraction, therefore, despite the fact that is was now dark, he voluntarily remained in position while the Marines worked their way through the jungle to the ladder. As he maintained his helicopter in a hover, the gunners and the escorting gunships delivered suppressive fire at the enemy and, even after his gunners had expended all their ammunition, he refused to leave the area until all the team members were attached to the ladder. When the last man was secured, Captain Barrett slowly proceeded out of the hazardous zone to An Hoa where he took the casualties aboard and then transported them to a medical facility. By his courage, superb aeronautical ability and selfless devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger, Captain Barrett was responsible for saving the lives of seven Marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.