The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Survival Technician Third Class Shannon F. Scaff, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary heroism while participating in aerial flight on 25 January 2000, while serving as rescue swimmer aboard Coast Guard HH-60J helicopter 6009. The crew was engaged in the rescue of four fishermen from the fishing vessel ABBY ANN SMITH that was being pummeled by the sudden onset of a vicious nor’easter. The storm was producing 60-knot turbulent winds and generating a 25-foot confused sea. Ceilings ranged from 100 to 300 feet and visibility dropped to one-eighth of a mile in driving rain, snow and sleet in freezing temperatures. The ABBY ANN SMITH’s master reported that he was unable to keep up with the flooding green water washing into the lower holds. The flooding caused the vessel to lose all but back up battery power, leaving his onboard bilge system inoperative. The CG6009 delivered a dewatering pump to the vessel but the pump was inoperative. The CG6009 returned to Elizabeth City to refuel and pick up more dewatering pumps. Petty Officer Scaff volunteered to go out as back-up 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 massively pitching deck and heavy rigging, the decision was made to have the crew abandon ship and be recovered via rescue swimmer. The primary rescue swimmer became exhausted during the aborted attempt to direct deploy to the survivor. A harness deployment was ultimately but swimming for ten minutes in the high, breaking seas had sapped his strength. Overcoming extreme seas, he maneuvered a large, terrified, hypothermic survivor into a rescue basket. Although pummeled by the seas he volunteered to deploy a second time to rescue the last survivor. The violent motion of the helicopter and strong winds made every hoist extremely hazardous. The swing of the hoist when yanked from the waves was uncontrollable. He swung wildly beneath the helicopter. He was almost able to touch the stabilator during the last hoist. Petty Officer Scaff’s actions, bravery and valor were instrumental in the rescue of two fishermen. 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.