The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Chief Warrant Officer (WO-2) William Matthew Rickman, Jr. (ASN: W-3158926), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with 170th Assault Helicopter Company, 52d Aviation Battalion, 17th Combat Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade. Chief Warrant Officer Rickman distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 1 December 1968 as commander of an armed helicopter providing support for a scout reconnaissance team inserted deep into an area of known enemy activity. A troop carrying helicopter was struck by hostile 37 millimeter weapons fire and was forced to land within range of the communist gunners. Leading his team of armed gun ships to the site, Mister Rickman flew at an extremely low speed to locate the helicopter through the tall trees and dense foliage. After spotting the craft and making its position known to the rescue ship, his helicopter became the target of intense enemy fire. He immediately established an orbit to provide close cover for the rescue effort. While he was coordinating his team, directing the rescue ship and firing numerous rockets at the enemy, his aircraft was riddled by a hostile barrage which wounded him in the leg. Disregarding his safety, Mister Rickman continued to place suppressive fire until the downed crew was extracted. His team headed back to its staging area, but a call for help was monitored from a Cobra helicopter shot down in the center of known enemy positions. Although almost out of ammunition and low on fuel, Mister Rickman returned with his team to provide suppressive fire until the crew was successfully extracted. With his rocket supply expended and mini-guns knocked out by enemy fire, he next returned to cover the pickup of the scout team which was amid heavy enemy movement and sporadic sniper fire. Attempting to make the communists believe that he was armed, he flew low-level between two enemy-entrenched ridge lines with only door mounted machine guns to give covering fire. When his aircraft came under machine gun fire as the extraction was being completed, he returned the fire and directed his door gunner to mark the area with smoke for tactical air strikes. Chief Warrant Officer Rickman’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.