The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Frederick C. Riedlin, United States Coast Guard, for heroic achievement in aerial flight on 22 to 23 February 1998 while serving as copilot aboard Coast Guard helicopter CG6017. The aircrew was engaged in the medical evacuation of a critically injured crewman from the M/V HEKABE, a 713-foot tanker disabled and adrift amid a severe winter storm, 180 miles south of Adak, Alaska. Dispatched from Air Station Kodiak, Lieutenant Riedlin expertly navigated CG6017 on a two-day, 1200-mile transit through 60-knot headwinds, severe turbulence, moderate icing, and zero visibility in blowing snow and fog. His precise fuel calculations enabled CG6017 to complete the MEDEVAC one-day ahead of schedule. When CG6017 arrived on scene, the M/V HEKABE was unable to hold course, violently pitching and rolling in 40-foot seas. Lieutenant Riedlin provided critical obstacle clearance advisories as CG6017 hovered amidships over the heaving deck and between towering rigging to deliver the rescue swimmer and recover the patient. As snow squalls enveloped CG6017 and reduced visibility to almost zero, Lieutenant Riedlin orchestrated crew actions and ensured a safe recovery of the rescue swimmer. With darkness approaching and fuel reaching critical state, CG6017 departed for Adak. Unable to execute the published instrument approach due to zero visibility, Lieutenant Riedlin assisted the aircraft commander in an approach to a 30-foot hover over the water. Using the radar and GPS to hover taxi through a maze of terrain in nearly zero visibility and severe turbulence, the crew finally acquired the runway at a distance of 300 feet. Lieutenant Riedlin’s actions, aeronautical skill, and valor were instrumental in the rescue of the M/V HEKABE’s crewman. His courage, judgment, and devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
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Awards Received
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Frederick C. Riedlin, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on the morning of 5 December 1996 as Co-Pilot aboard Coast Guard HH60J helicopter, CGNR 6024. The air crew was engaged in the perilous rescue of five victims from the fishing vessel EL DAN, which had capsized in 90-knot winds, forcing its crew into the raging, freezing waters of Portage Bay, Alaska. Dispatched from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, Lieutenant Riedlin flew more than 130 miles through mountain passes and severe turbulence to the vessel’s last known position. Arriving on scene, the descent through sea spray and ice fog quickly reduced forward visibility to one-sixteenth of a mile as the aircraft’s wind screen became opaque with salt. Using direction-finding equipment, the crew homed on the vessel’s Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon signal, locating the victims raft as it was pounded by 20-foot waves in furious white-water seas of wind-driven ice and spray. Lieutenant Riedlin deftly maneuvered the helicopter into hoist position, undaunted by violent down drafts and periods of total white-out conditions in 90-knot winds. During the 26-minute hoisting evolution in near zero visibility, Lieutenant Riedlin relied solely on flight instruments and crew directional input to skillfully maintain a 50-foot hover, enabling his flight mechanic to hoist each of the victims on board. Once all five victims had been safely lifted from the raging seas, Lieutenant Riedlin relinquished the flight controls to the aircraft commander, then provided critical navigational guidance through hurricane force winds and severe turbulence to safely deliver the victims to Kodiak. Lieutenant Riedlin’s actions, aeronautical skill, and valor were instrumental in the rescue of five people. His courage, judgment, and devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.