AIR MEDAL FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Awarded January, 2000


The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the
AIR MEDAL to
Captain Gerald W. Caldwell


UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS


For service as set forth in the following


CITATION For heroic achievement while participating in aerial flight as Helicopter Aircraft Commander, HH-1N Search and Rescue Helicopter, Headquarters and and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona on 11
December 1998. Three Mexican citizens were trapped at night in the Colorado
River south of Algodones, Mexico. Upon receiving launch notification, he conducted
a quick mission brief and prepared Rescue One for an immediate deployment.
After searching and locating the victims, Captain Caldwell established a 150-foot hover
overhead, with little visual reference and lowered a corpsman via hoist line to the victims.
Due to the victims' tenuous position, he moved the aircraft inches at a time to maneuver
the corpsman around the brush and debris to reach them. This recovery was performed three
times, requiring him to maintain a flawless hover under exhausting conditions for over 40 minutes.
Captain Caldwell's professional airmanship, aggressiveness, and exemplary devotion
to duty in the face of personal risk reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.




For the President,


FRANK LIBUTTI
LIEUTENANT GENERAL, U. S. MARINE CORPS
COMMANDER, MARINE FORCES PACIFIC