The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Kenneth W. Stallings, II, United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as MC-130E Combat Talon Navigator, Joint Special Operations Air Detachment South, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Special Operations Command Central at a classified location on 2 November 2001. On that date, Captain Stallings’ exemplary knowledge and outstanding airmanship, displayed under extremely hazardous conditions, culminated in the successful rescue of eleven Americans from the mountains of Afghanistan. During the first helicopter air refueling, with in flight visibility of one mile, Captain Stallings’ radar identified critical obstructing terrain at five miles distant and vectored the formation away from it. With an active obstacle warning alert and the terrain beyond visual sight, his radar identified a small gap in a ridge that could be crested, and vectored the formation through it, preserving the mission and allowing the formation to clear the terrain. This small gap was the only spot where the formation could crest the ridgeline and could not have been visually acquired until too late to maneuver to it. Captain Stallings’ decisive action and critical support at precisely the right time preserved the rescue mission which recovered eleven survivors despite foul weather, degraded equipment and helicopter air refueling at the highest altitude in memory. This over eight hour combat low level mission was the largest search and rescue effort since the Vietnam conflict. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Stallings reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.