The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Survival Technician First Class Troy M. Lundgren, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary heroism while participating in aerial flight on the night of 25 January 2000 while serving as rescue swimmer aboard Coast Guard HH-60J Helicopter 6009 from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Four fishermen from the fishing vessel ABBY ANN SMITH were endangered by a vicious nor’easter 20 miles off of False Cape, Virginia. The storm packed 60 knot, turbulent winds and generated 25 foot, confused seas. Ceilings dropped below 300 feet and visibility reached one-eighth of a mile in driving rain, snow and sleet. The ABBY ANN SMITH’s master reported that he was unable to keep up with flooding green water washing into his lower holds and that the flooding caused him to lose all but backup battery power, leaving his onboard bilge system inoperative. The CG6009 delivered a dewatering pump to the vessel, and after five attempts it still failed to operate properly. The CG6009 returned to Elizabeth City to refuel and pick up an additional swimmer. When the CG6009 returned to the scene, the weather had deteriorated. The master stated he and his crew were extremely fatigued and eager to get off. Due to a wildly pitching deck and heavy rigging, the decision was made to have the crew abandon ship one at a time and be recovered via rescue swimmer. The aircrew attempted a direct deployment of the swimmer to the survivor but the violent motion of the helicopter and high seas made this unworkable. On the second attempt, Petty Officer Lundgren was deployed in the water by harness. With great difficulty he swam through high breaking seas and deafening winds to reach the fisherman. The survivor was paralyzed by fatigue and immobile in a bulky immersion suit. Petty Officer Lundgren helped the large fisherman into the basket and both men were raised exhausted to the CG6009. The backup rescue swimmer made the second rescue. Petty Officer Lundgren assisted the flight mechanic during the hoist by keeping the hoist cable from chaffing against the airframe and maintaining visual contact with the men in the water. He showed no hesitation to re-enter the water and recovered the third survivor. Although injured in the hand during the violent recovery of the hoist cable he was able to complete the rescue. Petty Officer Lundgren’s actions, bravery and valor were instrumental in the rescue of two persons. 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.