NCO receives Distinguished Flying Cross

  • Published
  • By Danny Monahan
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  A noncommissioned officer assigned to Kirtland AFB received the Distinguished Flying Cross during a ceremony on base Oct. 23.

Staff Sergeant Brandon Hill, 512th Rescue Squadron, was recognized for his accomplishments during a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Hill's award citation highlights his achievements.

Hill distinguished himself by heroism while serving as an HH-60G flight engineer with the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, on Nov. 14, 2010.

On that day, Hill flew a high-risk mass-casualty evacuation mission in support of coalition operations in the Watapur Valley, Afghanistan. Hill and his aircrew learned friendly forces were pinned down and had taken heavy casualties due to enemy fire. As the HH-60 established a hover, an intense volley of small arms and heavy machine gun fire enveloped the helicopter, with several rocket-propelled grenades exploding 20 feet from its position. As rounds struck his aircraft, Hill lowered pararescuemen via a hoist so they could treat the wounded on the ground. When the final pararescueman had been lowered,  Hill and his aircrew held to the east as several close air support aircraft fired on the enemy.

Once the wounded had been effectively triaged, Hill and his aircrew returned to the area to hoist the remaining pararescuemen and critically wounded. In the end, 11 casualties were evacuated. Were it not for his heroic actions under direct enemy fire, many of those injured would not have survived.

"I'm honored to receive this award, but it's not about me," said Hill. "It's about the guys to my left and to my right. I have the honor of walking among heroes every day."

The Distinguished Flying Cross, authorized by Section 12 of the Air Corps Act in 1926, is awarded to servicemembers who distinguish themselves by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight in support of operations.