AWARDED DFC: 4
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  Vietnam
MODEL:  A-4

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Martin J. Lenzini for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Aircraft Group Twelve, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 18 November 1968, Major Lenzini launched from the Chu Lai Air Base as Wingman in a flight of two A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned the mission of providing close air support for a United States Army platoon that was heavily engaged in combat with a North Vietnamese Army force in a mountainous area northwest of Tam Ky. Arriving over the designated area, he found that extremely adverse weather conditions would severely restrict visibility and his area of maneuverability among the partially obscured towering mountain peaks. Briefed by the Tactical Air Controller (Airborne), he was informed that the friendly unite was pinned down on a narrow ridgeline by intense hostile fire from a machine gun emplacement and supporting automatic weapons positions. Undaunted by the heavy volume of enemy fire directed against his aircraft and a restricted run-in heading which required him to establish a flight pattern perpendicular to the ridgeline, Major Lenzini fearlessly maneuvered his Skyhawk on repeated bombing runs and released all his ordnance upon the target with pinpoint accuracy. As a result of his devastating attacks, the North Vietnamese machine gun emplacement was destroyed, several enemy soldiers were killed, and the hostile force was routed, enabling the ground unit to continue to its mission. Major Lenzini's courage, superior airmanship and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger were instrumental in the accomplishment of the hazardous mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.

2.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Martin J. Lenzini for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Aircraft Group Twelve, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 18 April 1969, Major Lenzini launched as Section Leader of a flight of two A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned the mission of providing close air support for a United States Army unit that had located an enemy stronghold and observed numerous hostile soldiers. Arriving over the designated area, Major Lenzini established an orbit over the target while another flight delivered its ordnance, and then led his wingman down through the broken cloud cover to observe the enemy positions and receive a situation briefing. After the hostile target was marked by the Tactical Air Controller (Airborne), Major Lenzini was informed that the friendly unit was approximately one hundred meters from the target and precise ordnance delivery of one bomb at a time would be necessary. Skillfully coordinating the attack with his wingman, he unhesitatingly launched the initial tactical run, releasing his first bomb upon the enemy position with pinpoint accuracy. Following the first successful run, the Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) moved the flight to within seventy-five meters of the friendly unit, and Major Lenzini then led his flight in two more bombing passes, during which he and his wingman dropped their ordnance directly on the hostile emplacements. Directed to drop 500 pound bombs at a greater distance from the friendly unit, Major Lenzini delivered his ordnance precisely as directed, enabling the friendly unit to subsequently overrun the area. As a result of his flight's devastating attack, the enemy sustained heavy casualties and twelve large structures were destroyed. Major Lenzini's courage, exceptional aeronautical ability and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.

3.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Martin J. Lenzini for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Aircraft Group Twelve, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the evening of 24 August 1969, Major Lenzini launched as Section Leader of a flight of two A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned the mission of destroying a large enemy defense complex approximately twenty-three miles south of Da Nang. Arriving over the designated area, he was briefed by the Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) and directed to attack a secondary target which consisted of two enemy .50 caliber machine gun emplacements connected by a trenchline ten meters long. Undaunted by approaching darkness and the extremely heavy volume of hostile automatic weapons fire directed at his aircraft from numerous enemy positions hidden in tree lines, Major Lenzini fearlessly maneuvered his Skyhawk on repeated bombing runs and delivered his ordnance upon the target with pinpoint accuracy. As a result of his flight's devastating attacks, the two enemy machine gun emplacements were destroyed, as were the hostile positions concealed in the tree lines. Major Lenzini's courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger were instrumental in the accomplishment of the hazardous mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corp and of the United States Naval Service.

4.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Martin J. Lenzini for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron Twelve, Marine Aircraft Group Twelve, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. Late on the afternoon of 28 June 1969, Major Lenzini launched as Flight Leader of a flight of two A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned the mission of attaching a North Vietnamese Army force observed moving in a ravine in the Que Son Mountains four miles southeast of An Hoa. Arriving over the designated area, he was informed by the Tactical Air Controller (Airborne) that enemy soldiers had moved into a deep ravine at an elevation of 1,000 feet in an area surrounded by mountain peaks and ridgelines which rose to a height of approximately 2,200 feet. Despite an overcast at 3,500 feet and intermittent rain showers which severely restricted visibility and his area of maneuverability over the hazardous mountains, Major Lenzini adopted a flight pattern which required that he pull off the target around the mountaintops, proceed down-wind without visual contact with the target, maneuver through a saddle in the ridgeline on a level run-in heading until over the ravine, and then dive down into the target area. Undaunted by approaching darkness and the extremely precarious flight conditions, he fearlessly executed three bombing runs and one strafing run and delivered all his ordnance upon the target with pinpoint accuracy, causing one large secondary explosion and killing forty North Vietnamese Army soldiers. Major Lenzini's courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger were instrumental in the accomplishment of the hazardous mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corp and of the United States Naval Service.