The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander John M. Lewis, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on the night of 15 April 1976 as aircraft commander and pilot of Coast Guard HH-52A 1444 helicopter engaged in the perilous rescue of the captain of the ocean drilling rig OCEAN EXPRESS, which was sinking 40 miles east of Port Aransas, Texas. Dispatched from Air Station Corpus Christi, the aircraft proceeded to the scene in darkness, gale force winds, turbulence and reduced visibility and, upon arrival, the rig was observed to be listing heavily and battered by the mountainous seas. Quickly analyzing the situation, Lieutenant Commander Lewis elected to attempt a rescue and, despite the conditions, skillfully maneuvered the aircraft into a precarious position over the pitching vessel. However, because of a complete lack of visual reference, turbulence, heavy sea spray obscuring vision from the cockpit and unlighted rig legs extending 100 feet above the hovering helicopter, the first attempt nearly ended in disaster when the aircraft came dangerously close to the rig’s swaying superstructure. With the arrival of a second Coast Guard aircraft to provide illumination, Lieutenant Commander Lewis made a second rescue attempt and successfully positioned his aircraft so that the victim could jump into the rescue basket. While maneuvering the aircraft away from the rig and hoisting the captain to the helicopter, the rig capsized and sank. Lieutenant Commander Lewis’s courage, sound judgment, perseverance and exceptional aeronautical skill contributed to saving the life of the stranded man. His dauntless valor and unwavering devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.