AWARDED DFC: 4
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  -
MODEL:  F-100D

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Charles A. Shaheen, Jr., for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as a F-100D Tactical Fighter Pilot near Tay Ninh, Republic of Vietnam on 2 January 1968. On that date, Captain Shaheen was scrambled from the alert facility at Phan Rang Air Base on a night close air support mission to break contact established with hostile forces who had attacked a friendly fire support base during the Lunar New Year truce. In two separate missions that evening, Captain Shaheen made repeated, accurate low-level deliveries in spite of extremely poor visibility, intense ground fire and lack of flare light. As a result of his courage and aggressiveness, the hostile forces abandoned their attack. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Shaheen 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 Charles A. Shaheen, Jr., for heroism while participating in aerial flight as Forward Air Controller over North Vietnam on 3 May 1968. On that date, Captain Shaheen located several, heavily-defended truck parks and stockpiled supplies. After he had expended all of his white phosphorous marking rockets, he directed the armed fighters into the different target areas by making high speed, 200 foot passes, dipping a wing as he passed the target. By his courage and aggressiveness under adverse conditions, Captain Shaheen succeeded in coordinating the destruction of numerous trucks and over 800 barrels of petroleum products. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Captain Shaheen 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 Charles A. Shaheen, Jr., for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-100F Forward Air Controller operating over North Vietnam on 7 June 1968. On that date, Captain Shaheen located and directed armed fighters against a large, heavily-defended, surface-to-air missile complex just north of the Demilitarized Zone. In the face of intense hostile ground fire, he made repeated marking and reconnaissance passes against the missiles and support equipment. His courage and aggressiveness eliminated a severe threat to friendly aircraft operating in that area. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Shaheen reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

4.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Charles A. Shaheen, Jr., for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-100F Forward Air Controller over North Vietnam on 23 June 1968. On that date, Captain Shaheen participated in the location and destruction of one of the most lucrative truck park and supply areas in the southern panhandle. His skill and professionalism in marking targets and in controlling armed fighters while avoiding heavy automatic weapons fire from an adjoining gun site, was instrumental in destroying a large quantity of ammunition and supplies before they could be transshipped to forward staging areas for use against allied ground forces. The total bomb damage assessment for the flights controlled by Captain Shaheen and his fellow Air Controllers was: 13 trucks destroyed, 209 secondary ammunition explosions, 17 sustained secondary fires, 13 secondary ammunition fires with continuous small explosions, and five petroleum fires. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Shaheen reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.