The  President  of  the United States takes pleasure  in  presenting  the   AIR MEDAL (Bronze Star for the First Award) to

for service as set forth in the following

                 CITATION:

                               "For heroic achievement  in aerial  flight while  serving  with 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 the afternoon of 28 May 1970, Corporal Wages launched as Crew Chief aboard  the lead aircraft in a flight of two CH-46 transport helicopters assigned the emergency medical evacuation of three casual- ties  from a  unit which was heavily engaged in combat with hostile forces south- west of DaNang.   Arriving  over the designated area,  he was  informed  that the friendly unit was receiving fire from enemy positions along a tree line to the east and  along  a  river to  the north of the extraction  site.  After  his aircraft's  first approach was aborted because of the  intensity of the hostile fire, he located and reported the sources of enemy fire for attacks by supporting gunships.  Undaun- ted by the  heavy volume of hostile  fire directed at  his transport as he commen- ced  its  second approach to the  landing zone,  Corporal Wages ably provided a continuous flow of  vital clearance  information and  returned rifle  fire into  the enemy  positions  as  he  skillfully  guided  his  helicopter  to  a  landing near the medical  evacuees.  While his aircraft  remained in its dangerously  exposed posi- tion, he  expedited  the embarkation of the  three wounded men and then guided his  transport  out of  the  dangerous  area.  Corporal Wages'  courage,  superior professionalism,  and unwavering  devotion to  duty  at  great personal risk were instrumental  in accomplishing the hazardous mission  and were in keeping  with the  highest  traditions  of  the  Marine  Corps  and  of  the  United  Sates  Naval Service."