The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant John B. Whiddon, United States Coast Guard, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on the afternoon of 4 October 1980 while serving as pilot and aircraft commander of Coast Guard HH-3F 1469 engaged in the rescue of 20 survivors from the stricken passenger liner M/V Prinsendam which had caught fire 120 miles south of Yakutat in the Gulf of Alaska. The fire had forced the passengers and crew of Prinsendam into lifeboats in the dark hours of early morning. Dispatched from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Lieutenant Whiddon flew the helicopter to the scene and located a lifeboat being tossed by 25 foot cresting seas. Despite 35 knot winds and visibility often down to one-half mile, Lieutenant Whiddon skillfully guided the aircraft over the stern of the pitching and tossing boat and maintained the position as the rescue basket was lowered. During one of the hoists the cable became tangled in the rudder of the boat. With excellent crew coordination and precision flying Lieutenant Whiddon maneuvered the helicopter to a position where the cable was freed without shearing. The hoist operations were then completed and the survivors were transported to safety on the T/V Williamsburgh and to Yakutat. Lieutenant Whiddon’s innovative actions, expert aeronautical skill and valor were instrumental in the rescue of 20 victims. His courage, sound judgment and unwavering devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
Sponsored by:
Awards Received
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Distinguished Flying Cross
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Distinguished Flying Cross
Service:
United States Coast GuardRank:
Lieutenant CommanderAction Date:
December 10, 1987
Citation Courtesy of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society – www.dfcsociety.orgThe President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Commander John B. Whiddon, United States Coast Guard, for heroism while participating in aerial flight on the night of 10 December 1987, as pilot and aircraft commander of Coast Guard HH-3F helicopter 1486. Lieutenant Commander Whiddon was engaged in the perilous rescue of a man and his 6 year old son from the F/V Bluebird, which sank in storm-tossed waters 10 miles southwest of Sitka, Alaska. Despite a dark, blinding snowstorm and severe turbulence, Lieutenant Commander Whiddon launched from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka and within 18 minutes located the stricken vessel foundering in 30-foot seas. Repeatedly, his helicopter was struck by 70-knot wind gusts causing it to pitch uncontrollably, the tail rotor dipping frighteningly close to the raging seas. Lieutenant Commander Whiddon expertly hovered his helicopter over the wildly pitching vessel and, by using maximum power and doggedly wrestling with the flight controls, barely kept it from crashing into the sea. When hoisting from the doomed vessel proved impossible, the victims donned survival suits and jumped into the frigid water – just before their vessel sank. Demonstrating excellent crew coordination and superior airmanship, Lieutenant Commander Whiddon deployed his rescue swimmer and plucked the survivors from the towering seas and certain death. Lieutenant Commander Whiddon’s actions, aeronautical skill, and valor were instrumental in the rescue of two victims. 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.