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

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Roland B. Scott, Jr., for heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight while serving as Pilot with Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group Sixteen, First Marine Aircraft Wing in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On the afternoon of 5 July 1970, First Lieutenant Scott launched as Section Leader of a flight of two Cobra helicopters assigned the mission of supporting the emergency extraction of a Marine reconnaissance team, which was heavily engaged in combat with a numerically superior hostile force southwest of An Hoa in Quang Nam Province. Arriving over the designated area, he received a brief from the Forward Air Controller (Airborne) and was informed that the patrol was moving along a stream bed to a more suitable extraction site under the cover of air strikes by fixed-wing aircraft. He was informed that a thunderstorm and heavy rains, approaching from the south, would soon obscure the area and that the beleaguered Marines were surrounded and in imminent danger of having their position overrun. First Lieutenant Scott completely disregarded his own safety, as he boldly maneuvered his gunship into the low cloud cover and rains and, at low altitude, searched until he visually located the Marines on the ground, who then pinpointed the enemy positions. Undaunted by the intensity of the hostile fire and the extremely adverse weather conditions, he laid a smoke screen and then skillfully executed repeated strafing runs on the enemy, delivering such a steady stream of accurate and effective fire that the enemy fire was suppressed sufficiently to enable a transport helicopter to enter the dangerous area and safely extract the reconnaissance team. First Lieutenant Scott’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.