The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Warrant Officer One (WO-1) John W. Frink, United States Army, for heroism while participating in aerial flight: Warrant Officer Frink distinguished himself by heroism while serving as pilot of a UH-1H helicopter and lead recovery ship with F Troop, 8th Cavalry, 196th Infantry Brigade on 2 April 1972. Warrant Officer Frink’s aircraft was part of a team that was flying a rescue mission of downed United States Air Force pilots in an area north of Dong Ha in the Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam. As Warrant Officer Frink’s aircraft approached the pilots’ location, he was engaged by heavy anti-aircraft fire including .30 caliber machineguns and small arms fire from 360 degrees around. All radio contact with his ship was lost but he continued his approach until smoke was noted from the engine and the aircraft went into a seemingly uncontrollable attitude and fell into a known enemy locations where visual contact with Warrant Officer Frink’s ship was rendered impossible. Warrant Officer Frink’s extraordinary heroism against a numerically superior North Vietnamese force was kin keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.