The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain William Harwood Huffcut, II (MCSN: 0-76752), United States Marine Corps, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Pilot with Marine Observation Squadron SIX (VMO-6), Marine Aircraft Group Thirty-Six, in action against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 21 April 1966, during Operation HOT SPRINGS, Captain Huffcut’s aircraft was providing air cover for a troop lift in the vicinity of Vinh Loc when a heavy volume of enemy fire was directed at the landing zone. Without hesitation, Captain Huffcut commenced rocket and strafing attacks on the gun position. On the second run, enemy fire hit the aircraft, wounding Captain Huffcut in the leg and damaging the flight control system and radio equipment. Undaunted, he made seven more runs on the target, continuing the attacks until the enemy machine gun was silenced and about fifty Viet Cong had fled. At least twelve of the enemy were killed in his relentless attacks. Only when directly ordered id he withdraw from the area and return to his base for treatment of his wound. His determined effort contributed in large measure to the successful completion of the troop landing. Captain Huffcut’s exceptional skill as an aviator, coupled with perseverance and unfaltering dedication to duty, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major William Harwood Huffcut, II (MCSN: 0-76752), United States Marine Corps, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Observation Squadron SIX (VMO-6), Provisional Marine Aircraft Group THIRTY-NINE, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 27 September 1969, Major Huffcut launched as Aircraft Commander of an armed OV-10 Bronco aircraft assigned the mission of supporting the emergency extraction of a Marine reconnaissance patrol which had detected the movement of enemy troops on all four sides of its position in an area southeast of Landing Zone SHEPARD in Quang Tri Province. Arriving over the designated area, he found that the proximity of hostile soldiers to the friendly position precluded the use of rockets and commenced a series of strafing runs. Undaunted by the intensity of the enemy fire directed at his aircraft, he delivered such accurate and effective fire that the movement of the hostile force was temporarily halted. When the enemy resumed the attack, Major Huffcut skillfully directed two flights of fixed wing aircraft to the precise delivery of their ordnance to within thirty meters of the patrol’s position, which again halted the enemy’s advance. As the hostile force regrouped and launched a third attack, he resolutely ignored the heavy volume of enemy fire as he fearlessly maneuvered his Bronco in repeated strafing runs which stalled the attack and suppressed the hostile fire sufficiently to enable the reconnaissance team to be extracted. Major Huffcut’s courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger were instrumental in the accomplishment of the hazardous mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.