The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant James W. Cockerill, United States Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the 601st Photo Squadron, Detachment 12, 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, 7th Air Force. Sergeant Cockerill distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Southeast Asia, on 26 August 1972. On that date, Sergeant Cockerill, an Aerial Combat Photographer on an HH-53C Rescue Helicopter, with full knowledge that a previous recovery attempt had been met with intense automatic weapons fire, courageously volunteered to continue the rescue mission of a downed American airman. Although his aircraft was being riddled by bullets as it hovered within meters of the North Vietnamese gunners, he willingly stood in the open and unprotected crew entry door to aid the hoist operator in recovering the downed airman. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Cockerill has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.