The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Survivalman Second Class William DeCamp, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 31 October 1993 while serving as Rescue Swimmer of Coast Guard helicopter 6570 engaged in the rescue of two persons from the sailing vessel MAGNOLIA, aground on a shoal near Cape Fear, North Carolina. Arriving in darkness at the location of the stricken vessel, the helicopter’s searchlight showed the MAGNOLIA working in the pounding surf with the mast whipping violently from side to side in 15-foot breaking waves and winds gusting above 40 knots. Petty Officer DeCamp initially entered the water downwind from the sailboat, and was unable to overcome the strong current. He signaled for pickup and was immediately hoisted and reinserted into the water windward of the vessel. The violent surf slammed him into the vessel’s stern, but Petty Officer DeCamp successfully boarded MAGNOLIA and prepared the victims for hoisting. He escorted the first victim into the water and pulled her a safe distance from the vessel, where both were hoisted into the helicopter. Deploying again into the water to repeat the treacherous boarding, he then convinced the reluctant second victim to enter the dark sea and pulled him through the breaking surf for hoisting. The slack hoist cable became entangled around the man’s arm as Petty Officer DeCamp maneuvered him into the rescue basket. He freed the victim just prior to the hoist, despite being battered by breaking waves. Petty Officer DeCamp’s actions, skill, and valor were instrumental in the rescue of two persons. 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.