CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD

OF THE

AIR FORCE COMMENDATION MEDAL

TO

JACK M. ROTH

FIRST LIEUTENANT JACK M. ROTH distinguished himself

by heroism involving risk of life on 12 April 1963, at Keflavik, Ice-

land. On that date, Tactical Air Command C-130 Air Combat Crew

F-017, of which he was Pilot, volunteered to perform a mercy flight

and emergency air evacuation from Sondrestrom Air Base, Green-

land, to Keflavik. A native Greenlander was suffering from post-

operative complication of a high morbidity nature. The nearest

medical facilities capable of treating him were at Keflavik. The

three hour flight was made under minimal weather conditions which

had deteriorated to dangerously high crosswinds on arrival at destina-

tion. The aircraft possessed sufficient fuel to return for a safe land-

ing at departure point, but Crew F-017 voluntarily elected to take the

risk of landing in high crosswinds in order to save the patient's life.

By this display of professional airmanship, courage and total disregard

for his own life in performing this heroic deed, LIEUTENANT ROTH

and his fellow crew members reflected great credit upon themselves

and the United States Air Force.