The  President of  the United States takes  pleasure  in  presenting  a gold star in lieu of the second DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS to

for service as set forth in the following

                 CITATION:

                               "For heroism and extraordinary achievement  in aerial flight while  serving  as Commanding Officer of  Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group  Sixteen,  First Marine Aircraft Wing  in  connection with combat operations against  the enemy in the  Republic of  Vietnam.   On 27 September 1969, Lieutenant Colonel Dunbaugh launched as Section Leader of a flight of  two CH-46  transport helicopters  assigned  the mission of  rappelling a seven-man  Marine reconnaissance team into an area on the western slope of the Que Son Mountains  approximately nineteen  miles southwest of DaNang,  to re- cover the body of a Marine who  had been killed earlier during a fierce  fire fight with a large hostile force.  Arriving over the designated  area, he  selected an  in- sertion  site on  a steep slope,  under a dense jungle canopy, and only 200 meters from a trail used  as a main enemy infiltration  route.  Following  the completion of  air strikes on  hostile positions,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dunbaugh coordinated his approach with the screening smoke of an OV-10 aircraft  and the  rocket and strafing runs  of supporting  gunships  and was  within  1,000  meters  of  the site when his  helicopter came under an  extremely heavy  volume of enemy  fire and sustained  battle  damage.   Undaunted  by  the  intensity  of  the  hostile fire, he resolutely  continued  his approach  and skillfully  maneuvered to a  hover  forty feet above  the ground and remained  in his precarious  position  until the recon- naissance team had lowered itself to the zone.  Lifting out of the hazardous area, Lieutenant  Colonel   Dunbaugh   established  an  orbit  until   the  Marines  had recovered  their fallen comrade and returned to the pick-up site.   With complete disregard for his own safety, he again braved the  hostile  fire as he  maneuvered under  the cover of fire from supporting aircraft to a hover above the patrol and remained  in his dangerously exposed  position until the  Marines  had  attached themselves and their fallen comrade to the suspended straps.  Expertly executing a slow,  vertical  lift to avoid the tall trees, he climbed  to 150  feet and  with  the Marines  dangling  125  feet  below  the  helicopter,  departed  the  perilous area. Lieutenant Colonel Dunbaugh's  courage, superior airmanship, and  unwavering devotion to duty  in the face of  great personal danger  were in  keeping with  the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service."