The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Brian A. Doolittle, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight from 30 August 2005 to 3 September 2005 during Hurricane KATRINA rescue operations. Demonstrating exceptional aeronautical skill and superlative physical stamina, Petty Officer Doolittle served as rescue swimmer aboard Coast Guard helicopters for over 28 flight hours in a dangerous urban disaster environment. Launching in the first HH-60 departing ATC Mobile, Petty Officer Doolittle endured tropical storm conditions while surging into KATRINA’s wake, serving as the vanguard for Coast Guard responders. Arriving in New Orleans, Petty Officer Doolittle located a survivor signaling frantically through a hole in the roof of a flooded home. Hovering just clear of obstacles and with 50 knot winds still hammering the area, he bravely deployed from the aircraft, passing within four feet of power lines and jagged debris. Peering into the hole, he discovered that a family of 10 was huddled inside the attic and unable to climb through the hole. In an incredible display of strength and agility, he reached in and lifted each of the survivors onto the roof, many weighing more than 200 pounds. With the house literally disintegrating around him, he skillfully hoisted each survivor while hazardous flying debris littered the air and struck his body. On the night of 1 September, Petty Officer Doolittle displayed unquestionable bravery, when he deployed to assist 10 survivors stranded on an overpass in an area where shots had been fired. Undaunted, he volunteered to remain on scene and exposed as his aircraft shuttled survivors to drop points. Later, he observed a light signaling from the roof of a high-rise apartment building. Once on-deck, he quickly learned that another 100 survivors remained in the lower floors and in need of evacuation. Focusing on the sick, elderly, and handicapped first, he worked tirelessly throughout the night, clearing the entire building while simultaneously coordinating three helicopters and hoisting evolutions. Petty Officer Doolittle’s actions, skill, and valor were instrumental in the rescue of 81 storm victims. 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.