AWARDED DFC: 2
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  Vietnam
MODEL:  UH-1E/A-4E

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Bruce Alan Schwanda, United States Marine Corps Reserve, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Observation Squadron Three, Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 2 September 1967, First Lieutenant Schwanda launched as Section Leader of two armed UH-1E helicopters on an escort mission in support of the extraction of a Marine reconnaissance team which was surrounded by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force near Khe Sahn. Upon arrival over the designated landing zone and being informed that the besieged ground unit was receiving intense fire, First Lieutenant Schwanda skillfully directed two flights of fixed-wing strike aircraft in an attack upon the enemy emplacements. Disregarding his own safety, he fearlessly led a transport helicopter through the narrow valley toward the landing site until forced to abort the extraction attempt due to increasingly heavy volume of hostile fire. Returning to the area after refueling and rearming his helicopter, he resolutely directed two additional flights of fixed-wing air strikes with pinpoint accuracy. Despite the continuous intense enemy fire, he unhesitatingly led the transport helicopter into the area and while he directed a fifth fixed-wing air strike and maneuvered his own helicopter in a series of aggressive attacks, the transport helicopter embarked the ground unit and safely departed the area. His exemplary professional skill and resolute determination contributed significantly to the successful extraction of the reconnaissance team and were instrumental in killing over fifty enemy soldiers. First Lieutenant Schwanda's courage, exceptional aeronautical ability and unswerving devotion to duty at great personal risk 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 a gold star in lieu of the second Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Bruce A. Schwanda, United States Marine Corps Reserve, for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as a Pilot with Marine Attack Squadron III, Marine Aircraft Group Eleven, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. Early on the morning of 20 October 1970, Captain Schwanda launched as Section Leader of a flight of two A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned the mission of providing close air support for two Civilian Irregular Defense Group companies which were heavily engaged in combat with elements of two North Vietnamese Army battalions in the vicinity of Thuang Duc in Quang Nam Province. Arriving over the designated area he was given a situation brief by the Forward Air Controller (Airborne) and informed that the beleaguered units were located on a plateau with their backs to a sheer drop of 2300 feet to the valley below and were under intense hostile rocket mortar automatic weapons and small arms fire from the enemy who had established positions on all three sides of the Vietnamese, thereby cutting off all avenues o of escape. Despite extremely adverse weather conditions and the difficulty of maneuvering his aircraft in the darkness over the rugged terrain he utilized the illumination from flares dropped over the area as he commenced his attack. Undaunted by the exceptionally heavy volume of hostile fire directed at his Skyhawk and the heavy rains and cloud cover which obscured the surrounding mountains, Captain Schwanda boldly maneuvered his aircraft on two bombing runs and a strafing run and delivered all of his ordnance upon the North Vietnamese positions with pinpoint accuracy. As a result of his and a previous flight's devastating attacks, the hostile fire was silenced. Captain Schwanda's courage, superior airmanship, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of great personal danger were instrumental in accomplishing the hazardous mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.