(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Airman’s Medal to Staff Sergeant Richard Smith, United States Air Force, for heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy of the United States on 4 September 2000. Upon hearing someone yelling fire down the street, Staff Sergeant Smith went outside and saw a home two doors down engulfed in flames and smoke. He immediately ran to the scene and confirmed that neighbors had called 911. He then located a fire extinguisher and with the help of a neighbor attempted to extinguish the flames around the front door, but the extinguisher was too small. He then pulled a garden hose from the neighbor’s house and doused the flames surrounding the door. With the interior still doused in flames, he continued to battle the fire until he heard screams for help from the rear of the house. He ran to the back to find a neighbor coaxing a young girl to jump from the second floor. As she was caught b the men, she cried out “My brother’s still inside.” Staff Sergeant Smith ran back to the front door and entered the burning home in an effort to rescue the young boy. In less than 30 seconds, the intense heat and smoke forced Staff Sergeant Smith from the building. Disregarding his personal safety he re-entered the house and made his way up the stairs but was again driven back by the fire. Undaunted and with fresh air in his lungs, he ran into the burning house for another rescue attempt. He made it to the top of the stairs and into one of the bedrooms. On his hands and kneed he screamed for the boy to answer but there was no response and he was again driven from the building by the intense smoke and heat. Exhausted, fatigued, and putting his own life in immediate danger he entered the house for a fourth time and crawled to another bedroom. He found the young boy wedged between a bed and the wall, and, realizing the boy was unconscious and severely burned, he picked him up[ and carried him to safety. Although the boy did suffer third degree burns to over 50 percent of his body, Staff Sergeant Smith’s efforts saved the child from certain death. The courage displayed by Staff Sergeant Smith, when faced with a life and death situation, coupled with the fact that he was willing to give his life to save the life of a small child, reflect great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Air Force.