The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Survivalman First Class Brian W. Utecht, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 17 and 18 October 1994 while serving as Rescue Swimmer aboard Coast Guard HH-65A, CGNR 6516. For three days Montgomery County, Texas, was saturated with 30 inches of rain, causing severe flooding. Launching from Air Station Houston, Petty Officer Utecht immediately positioned himself as lookout while the aircraft flew “nap of the earth” in unrelenting torrential rains, thunderstorms and extremely low ceilings. On scene, the crew located a clearing surrounded by rising flood waters. Petty Officer Utecht debarked to marshal the survivors. Realizing that he could be trapped in the zone, he elected to remain with the victims. Should recovery not be completed by nightfall, his survival expertise would be the difference between life and death. By nightfall, 58 survivors were successfully recovered. The next day, he was deployed to rescue a family atop a flooded mobile home. During the recovery the hoist experienced an electrical failure suspending them 50 feet in the trees. His actions to calm the panicked survivor prevented serious injury. Petty Officer Utecht’s actions, skill and valor were instrumental in the rescue of 60 people. 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.