The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major John H. Trotti, United States Marine Corps, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 314, Marine Aircraft Group Thirteen. First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 31 January 1970, Major Trotti launched as Section Leader of a flight of two F-4 Phantom aircraft assigned the mission of supporting the emergency extraction of a six-man Marine reconnaissance team which had sustained one casualty while heavily engaged in combat with a numerically superior hostile force in a mountainous area near An Hoa. Arriving over the designated area, he found that the extremely adverse weather conditions would severely restrict both visibility and his area of maneuverability and was informed that the critically wounded Marine would require immediate evacuation. Although confronted with the constant threat of enemy fire a ceiling of only 500 feet heavy rain showers and the difficulty of maneuvering his aircraft among the cloud-shrouded mountains Major Trotti resolutely elected to enter the hazardous area and provide whatever support he could for the extraction attempt. Despite his inability to release his ordnance because of his low altitude flight pattern and weather conditions which obscured the target he skillfully maneuvered his Phantom on repeated simulated bombing runs over the hostile soldiers which halted their advance and suppressed their fire sufficiently to enable the beleaguered patrol to move to a more tenable position. When the enemy moved into a ravine at the 400 foot level of a 1,200 foot high mountain, Major Trotti boldly executed a bombing run in the confined area and delivered his ordnance with such precision upon the hostile force that all enemy fire was silenced. As a result, transport helicopters were able to enter the dangerous area and safely extract the wounded Marine and the remainder of the reconnaissance patrol. Major Trotti’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 Untied States Naval Service.