AWARDED DFC: 3
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  -
MODEL:  F-100

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Robert M. Gatewood for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-100 Pilot near Can Tho, Republic of Vietnam on 23 August 1967. On that date, Captain Gatewood was scrambled from the alert pad to attack a heavy concentration of Viet Cong supplies and automatic weapons. With total disregard for his own safety Captain Gatewood made numerous low level, highly vulnerable passes through severe thunderstorms and intense ground fire. Although the Forward Air Controller and the Flight Leader had sustained severe battle damage during the attack, Captain Gatewood continued to devastate the target, then insured the safe recovery of both aircraft before insuring his own safety. The professional competence, aerial skill and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Gatewood reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

2.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Robert M. Gatewood for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Duty Controller aboard a C-130 aircraft equipped with an Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center Capsule operated by the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron on 12 May 1968 near Kham Duc, Republic of Vietnam. On that date, Captain Gatewood's crew, orbit call sign Hillsboro, was directed to proceed from their normal out-of-country orbit to overhead of Kham Duc and to assume on-scene command of the then ongoing 7th Air Force-ordered Operation Grand Slam; the aerial evacuation of that U.S. Army Special Forces camp, which was being overrun by overwhelming enemy forces. Enroute, as the Senior Duty Controller onboard, Captain Gatewood analyzed the unexpected mission requirements, delegated appropriate responsibilities to other crewmen and set up impromptu procedures to assure maximum functional capability of his unit in a role his crew had never experienced before. Upon arrival, Captain Gatewood organized a smooth overall command transition to Hillsboro from multiple Forward Air Control (FAC) aircraft, set up hand-drawn maps of the local battle area by visual references from the front cockpit, directed the placement of holding patterns and altitudes for supporting strike and transport aircraft, and acted as primary coordinator, he performed expertly and continuously for the duration of the operation while on-station (approximately 12 hours of the 16-hour mission). By very late afternoon, all surviving friendly forces had been successfully evacuated after a continuing series of complex aerial operations. Of particular note was the combat rescue of a three-member USAF Combat Control Team that was inadvertently left behind on the completely evacuated Special Forces camp hemmed in on all sides by relentless and badly bloodied enemy forces. The professional competence, aerial skill and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Gatewood reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

3.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Robert M. Gatewood for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-100 Pilot near Vinh Long, Republic of Vietnam on 3 February 1968. On that date, Captain Gatewood led a flight of F-100 aircraft into IV Corp to conduct a combat support mission against a heavy troop concentration which had taken up defensive positions within the city of Vinh Long and had inflicted heavy casualties amongst the friendly forces attempting to force their withdrawal. Working through heavy smoke and haze and completely disregarding the intensive automatic weapons fire, Captain Gatewood attacked the target, placing his ordnance with precise accuracy and devastating results. He made a total of nine extremely hazardous low level passes against the hostile concentration and ground fire positions, destroying significant elements of the opposing forces. The professional competence, aerial skill and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Gatewood reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.