AWARDED DFC: 1
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  -
MODEL:  -

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Chief Petty Officer Martin H. Nelson for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight from 31 August to 3 September 2005 during Hurricane Katrina rescue operations. Demonstrating exceptional aeronautical skill and superlative physical stamina, Chief Petty Officer Nelson served as Rescue Swimmer on repeated sorties aboard HH-65 helicopters in a challenging urban disaster environment. On the night of 31 August, Chief Petty Officer Nelson deployed to an unimaginable scene of chaos, where 200 desperate survivors suffering from three days of severe exposure to intense heat, lacking food and water, congregated on the roof of a school, demanding evacuation. Undaunted by the disorder, he quickly took charge and began prioritizing survivors for lift, when suddenly, he was confronted by openly hostile men. With exceptional composure, Chief Petty Officer Nelson asserted his authority, establishing himself as their only hope for survival and gaining their compliance. Despite nearby gun shots, visible muzzle flashes from below, and a volatile crowd, Chief Petty Officer Nelson remained on scene until survivors were saved from the perilous conditions. Following this series of fatiguing rescues, Chief Petty Officer Nelson mustered enough energy to deploy from 150 feet to a six foot landing, boxed-in by buildings, jagged debris and powerlines. Recognizing the dangers, he competed three demanding direct deployments, each time protecting the survivors by using his own body as a shield from the potentially deadly hazards. On 2 September, Chief Petty Officer Nelson deployed to assist another rescue swimmer evacuating survivors from the top of a slippery dome-shaped structure. This terrifying situation was created after an armed mob raided the building and forced the survivors to the roof. With the gang lurking below, Chief Petty Officer Nelson shuttled 60 survivors along the dome to awaiting aircraft, barely maintaining a foothold while fighting against intense rotor wash. His actions, aeronautical skill, and valor were instrumental in rescue of 90 storm victims. His courage, judgment and devotion to duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.