The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Warrant Officer One (WO-1) Donald Bruce McCoig (ASN: W-3155950), 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 281st Aviation Company, 10th Combat Aviation Battalion, 17th Combat Aviation Group. Warrant Officer McCoig distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 29 March 1968 as aircraft commander of an assault helicopter on a combat mission near Hue. After air strikes had pounded an enemy stronghold, he volunteered to fly Vietnamese ground forces into the area to conduct bomb assessment and search and destroy operations. During the second airlift into the landing zone, his ship received intense enemy automatic weapons fire which heavily damaged the craft and wounded the co-pilot and gunner. Displaying outstanding courage and airmanship, Mister McCoig continued into the battle area under heavy fire and landed his helicopter. He then led his men to cover and returned through the fusillade to recover the aircraft’s weapons and equipment. Remaining calm, he skillfully treated the wounded until an evacuation ship arrived and carried them all to safety. Three more aircraft were shot down in the ensuing action, and Mister McCoig volunteered to return to the raging firefight to extract their crews. With complete disregard for his safety, he again flew into the area and landed amid a curtain of fire. Bullets tore into his craft, but he refused to take off until the members of one stranded crew had climbed aboard. As he became airborne, the enemy forces concentrated their full firepower on his ship, and he was killed by a hail of rounds tearing into the cockpit. Warrant Officer McCoig’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.