The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Survival Technician Third Grade Jason Leahr, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight from 30 August to 3 September 2005 during Hurricane KATRINA rescue operations. Demonstrating exceptional aeronautical skill and superlative physical stamina, Petty Officer Leahr served as rescue swimmer aboard Coast Guard helicopters for 27 flight hours flying numerous missions in a hazardous urban disaster environment. On the night of 30 August, Petty Officer Leahr provided life saving rescue breathing to two patients simultaneously during a MEDEVAC from Baptist Memorial Hospital, saving both survivors. Later, while searching the flooded streets, Petty Officer Leahr located six survivors signaling from a home being quickly engulfed by the flood waters. Upon deploying to the roof, he learned that three survivors were trapped in the attic, including an unconscious woman and her infant. Clearing the initial six survivors first, he then used a chainsaw and ax to cut a hole in the roof. Fighting the effects of fatigue, he demonstrated incredible strength and determination by lifting a 300 pound survivor out of the attic and onto the roof. This was immediately followed by a physical grip rescue of the infant. Later, Petty Officer Leahr located a woman trapped inside her apartment with a small window as the only escape route. With the utmost skill, he deployed to the window’s small landing. Tethered cumbersomely to the hoist cable, he demonstrated exceptional agility while he ripped the window out from its frame to create an opening large enough to physically extract the survivor. On 3 September, Petty Officer Leahr deployed to a hotel rooftop where he found himself amidst a scene of utter chaos with an angry and hostile crowd. He quickly volunteered to search the building for survivors. Courageously, he methodically searched each blacked-out floor, ultimately locating an additional 70 survivors. Petty Officer Leahr’s performance in the face of extreme danger ultimately guaranteed the rescue of over 300 survivors. Petty Officer Leahr’s actions, skill, and valor were instrumental in the rescue of 151 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.