(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant Colonel [then Lieutenant] James Holder, United States Air Force, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat “V” for heroism while participating in aerial flight during the rescue attempt for a critically ill special forces Soldier in a classified location in 2001. Lieutenant Holder rescued a team and aircrew after their MH-53M helicopter crashed behind enemy lines. Lieutenant Holder and his crew braved enemy fire, high altitudes, extremely mountainous terrain, and extreme weather conditions to successfully rescue the team members and crew aboard the helicopter. He expertly coordinated multiple air and ground assets during the combined rescue effort and directed several emergency air refueling join-ups for his aircraft deep in enemy territory. Cool under pressure, he maneuvered his aircraft and crew through rugged terrain with limited visibility under extreme meteorological conditions. While operating at the edge of his helicopter’s performance envelop within a very narrow canyon, Lieutenant Holder performed a flawless night vision goggle landing at the crash site in complete whiteout conditions. Realizing that his aircraft could not generate enough power to maintain rotor speed required for take-off, he skillfully manipulated the flight controls and aircraft power output to gradually build up the rotor speed as they slowly lifted away from the dangerous terrain below. Lieutenant Holder’s superb airmanship led directly to the successful rescue of his fellow Airmen.