The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Lieutenant Commander (MC) Donald F. Lynch, Jr., United States Navy, for heroism while serving as duty Flight Surgeon for Naval Air Station, Agana, Guam. On 25 June 1973, Lieutenant Commander Lynch accompanied a rescue flight which crashed at Kusaie, Eastern Caroline Islands during the medical evacuation of a seriously ill native woman. Painfully freeing himself from the wreckage, which was leaking aviation gasoline and was in extreme danger of fire and sinking, he swam to the surface. Despite severe injuries which hampered his movements, he then returned to the dangerous wreckage and extricated the patient. Aided by the medical officer and a Kusaian native and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, he was instrumental in also removing the native husband of the patient from the wreckage shortly before the aviation gasoline was ignited by a burning jet-assisted take-off bottle. At the Kusaie Hospital following the accident, he supervised the treatment of other injured personnel and personally commenced artificial respiration to one of the crash victims. By his steadfast application of medical skills, prompt actions, and inspiring devotion to duty, Lieutenant Commander Lynch upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.