The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant William Waechter, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against the enemy as helicopter aircraft commander of an armored search and rescue helicopter during a mission to rescue a downed pilot in North Vietnam on 12 July 1966. Lieutenant Waechter subjected his aircraft to intense anti-aircraft fire while flying more than 70 miles inland to the mountainous rescue site. The airman was trapped in a steep gorge, but Lieutenant Waechter succeeded in rescuing the pilot by expertly maneuvering the helicopter into a ragged hover by sacrificing directional control and varying the pitch in the rotor to maintain speed and lift.