The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Duane S. Jensen (MCSN: 0-76524), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR (HMM-364), Marine Aircraft Group SIXTEEN (MAG-16), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 8 November 1970, Major Jensen launched as Section Leader of a flight of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned the emergency medical evacuation of a critically wounded Marine from a unit operating in a densely-jungled sector of Charlie Ridge in Quang Nam Province. When a ceiling varying from one hundred to three hundred feet in adverse weather severely restricted visibility, he directed his wingman and one of the escorting Huey gunships to establish an orbit at Hill 65 while he proceeded to the extraction site with the other gunship. Arriving in the vicinity of the ground unit, he utilized instructions from the Marines who listened to the sound of his engines to guide him up the steep hillside through the heavy rains and overcast to a hover above the pick-up site. Despite gusty winds and the difficulty of maintaining a hover with his rotor blades within three feet of the rocky hillside, he expertly manipulated his controls to maintain a relatively steady hover during the twenty minutes required to hoist the casualty aboard. While en route to DaNang, Major Jensen received an urgent request for the medical evacuation of another seriously wounded Marine from a unit which was heavily engaged in combat with a hostile force at Charlie Ridge approximately one thousand meters southwest of the previous extraction site. After transporting his patient to the hospital, he resolutely returned to the designated landing zone on Charlie Ridge which was on a small ridge and was surrounded by steep mountains on three sides. Forced to abort his first approach when his aircraft came under intense enemy fire, Major Jensen directed the Marines to move the casualty to a bomb crater one hundred and fifty yards away and then coordinated his second approach with the covering fire of the two supporting gunships. Undaunted by the extremely heavy volume of hostile fire, several rounds of which penetrated his helicopter, he skillfully maneuvered to a hover and boldly remained in his precarious position for the five minutes required to hoist the wounded Marine aboard He then lifted out of the dangerous area and proceeded to the hospital at DaNang. By his courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, Major Jensen was instrumental in accomplishing the hazardous missions and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.