Heroic actions earn rescue Airmen Distinguished Flying Cross

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Charles
  • Nellis Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  Maj. Gen. James Hyatt, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, presented the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor to three Nellis Airmen in a ceremony June 15 at the 763rd Maintenance Squadron hangar.

Maj. Keith Altenhofen, 561st Joint Tactics Squadron instructor pilot, Master Sgt. Joshua Fetters, 34th Weapons Squadron flight engineer, and Tech. Sgt. Christian Corella, 88th Test and Evaluation Squadron aerial gunner, received the Distinguished Flying Cross for a series of ground operations in Afghanistan.

"The rescue community truly has some amazing Airmen," General Hyatt said. "For them to overcome strenuous conditions and put the lives of complete strangers over their own shows a great deal about each of their characters."

The Distinguished Flying Cross was authorized by Section 12 of the Air Corps Act in 1926, with President Coolidge presenting the first award in 1927. The medal is awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the U.S. armed forces who distinguishes him or herself in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.

"It's an honor to help bring home the Air Force's number one resource: its men and women," Sergeant Fetters said. "It gives you a sense of accomplishment to help get a servicemember back to their family."

The HH-60 formation carrying then-Staff Sgt. Christian Corella was notified to evacuate an injured Afghan soldier and provide cover fire for a U.S. Special Forces convoy under attack by enemy forces April 4, 2009. Sergeant Corella managed to monitor aircraft systems and his .50 caliber machine gun through a blinding sandstorm during a show of force, causing enemy forces to retreat. At the same time, Sergeant Corella directed the convoy on an alternate route clear of potential enemy ambush sites.

"It wasn't the best situation," Sergeant Corella said. "However, when you are accomplishing the mission, that all goes on the back burner. All you think about is helping the patient, protecting the formation and keeping your crew safe."

Sergeant Corella's team moved quickly to provide support to a second team that was pinned down and threatened to be overrun by enemy forces. Disregarding their own safety, crew members hovered within 20 meters of enemy forces, exposing themselves to a barrage of machine gun and rocket fire. Sergeant Corella provided critical calls to maneuver the aircraft away from the rocket-propelled grenades while executing a flawless attack, which devastated the enemy position.

"This is what our combat search and rescue community does," Sergeant Corella said. "There are guys doing this same mission as we speak. This is what we all signed up for."

Due to Sergeant Corella's quick thinking and devotion to duty, he was able to save the lives of one Afghan National Army member and 40 U.S. Special Forces soldiers.

In a separate incident, then-Capt. Keith Altenhofen and Tech. Sgt. Joshua Fetters, deployed to the 129th Rescue Squadron in Afghanistan, performed heroically while executing military operations against another armed enemy.

Captain Altenhofen, pilot of Pedro 35, was directed to perform an evacuation May 19, 2009, of an injured Soldier whose unit had been engaged in combat with enemy forces for four consecutive days. Captain Altenhofen took his HH-60 aircraft and flew it directly into a Taliban stronghold, dodging heavy machinegun, rocket and small arms fire while Sergeant Fetters, Pedro 35 flight engineer, manned his .50 caliber machine gun and laid cover fire for the approaching aircraft.

As Captain Altenhofen continually dodged incoming enemy fire, they were able to evacuate the individual to receive proper treatment.

"You never know what to expect on any given mission," Major Altenhofen said. "We trained hard so that we were prepared for any scenario that would be thrown our way."

Pedro 35 soon received notification of an additional critically wounded Soldier in the same area of the Taliban stronghold. With little preparation, they re-launched to the same area within close proximity of the enemy forces and no air support.

Sergeant Fetters exited the aircraft at the position of the wounded soldier and began preparing him for extraction. While on approach to conduct the evacuation, Pedro 35 suffered a critical engine failure. Captain Altenhofen quickly diagnosed the problem and aborted the approach, saving the lives of crew and the aircraft. Sergeant Fetters remained behind and provided cover fire for his wingmen before being extracted on a different approach.

Pedro 35 was again contacted to perform a third extraction in the same area to evacuate a casualty in the same ongoing firefight. The helicopter became a choice target for enemy forces, which had surrounded its landing zone. With complete disregard for their own lives, Captain Altenhofen flew into the landing zone while Sergeant Fetters provided critical landing directions. Together they were able to evacuate the casualty and get much-needed supplies to friendly forces while under enemy fire from all directions.

General Hyatt, whose son Mathew is a Marine infantryman, also expressed his gratitude for the Airmen's actions.

"It puts my wife and me at ease to know that if Matt were ever in trouble, there would be Airmen like these who would go into dangerous conditions and get him out," he said.

Even with the prestige of receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor, the recipients said the medal is a nod to the hard work the rescue community does in saving lives.

"It's humbling to be recognized by the general, but we have Airmen doing the same thing," Major Altenhofen said. "Our story is small compared to some of the great things our rescue community has done over the last decade."

"It's never about the individual," Sergeant Corella said. "This medal is in recognition of all of members of the rescue community. The teamwork and hours of training is what helps us to accomplish our goal of saving lives."

The awards presented to these three Airmen represent the highest standards and core values the Air Force has set for its Airmen: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. Their dedication to duty and heroic actions exemplify the courage Airmen display in combat on a daily basis.

"No one person can accomplish these missions alone," Sergeant Corella said. "Everybody in the combat search and rescue community strives to uphold the principles of our motto; 'These things we do, that others may live.'"