The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander Scott A. Buttrick, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Aircraft Commander aboard Coast Guard HH-60J helicopter CG6028 on 29 August 2000. The aircrew was engaged in the perilous night rescue of two critically injured Alaska Department of Fish and Game officers from a downed aircraft in the mountainous region of the Alaska Peninsula. While returning from another Search and Rescue operation in Homer, AK., CG6028 was diverted to assist the survivors of the downed aircraft. After hot refueling in Kodiak, Lieutenant Commander Buttrick led his crew on a 500-mile round trip flight, combating severe turbulence and wind gusts over 60 knots. Arriving on scene in total darkness and relying solely on night vision goggles, Lieutenant Commander Buttrick adeptly piloted the helicopter through the narrow mountain pass and located the crashed aircraft overturned on a steep mountainside covered in thick alders. Due to the precarious position of the wreckage, a safe hoist directly to the crash site was not possible. With surgeon like precision and again relying solely on night vision goggles to remain clear of the alder branches that were swaying dangerously close to the helicopter, he picked a small clearing for the deployment point and inserted two Rescue Swimmers. Throughout the entire hoisting evolution, 50 knot microburst downdrafts repeatedly forced non-commanded and near uncontrollable descents. In one instance, with the litter approximately 20 feet off the ground, the helicopter was hit with one of these severe downdrafts. Lieutenant Commander Buttrick skillfully manipulated the aircrafts controls, compensating for the turbulence and sparing the survivor from a dangerous impact with the trees and ground. After successfully completing the three demanding hoists of the survivors and rescue swimmers, he led his crew safely back to Kodiak landing with eight total flight hours and enough fuel for only 15 minutes of flight. Lieutenant Commander Buttrick’s actions, aeronautical skill, and valor were instrumental in saving two lives. 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.