Medal of Honor: Clyde E. Lassen – Vietnam War, June 19, 1968

Clyde Everett Lassen
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
Conflict: Vietnam War
Unit: Helicopter Support Squadron 7, Detachment 104, embarked aboard USS Preble (DLG-15)
Date of Action: June 19, 1968
Location: North Vietnam

Summary of Action:
In the dark skies over North Vietnam, with enemy fire lighting the jungle and death stalking every turn of the rotor, a young naval aviator risked everything for two men trapped behind enemy lines.

On the night of June 18–19, 1968, Lieutenant Clyde E. Lassen launched into action from the deck of USS Preble in a UH-2 Seasprite helicopter. Two downed U.S. aviators were stranded deep inside enemy territory, perched on a steep, jungle-covered hill. Lassen had one mission: bring them home.

Navigating over hostile terrain and under fire, Lassen made an initial landing near the base of the hill, but the thick undergrowth prevented the survivors from reaching the helicopter. He lifted off and returned—this time hovering precariously between two trees, flares burning above, tree branches threatening to rip the rotor blades apart.

Then the light died.

With no flares left and the night blacker than pitch, the helicopter collided with a tree and began to plummet. Lassen righted the aircraft in seconds, avoiding disaster. Many would’ve turned back. He didn’t. He circled and tried again.

Still under enemy fire, still dangerously low on fuel, Lassen launched a third rescue attempt. With no flares to guide him and complete darkness surrounding him, he made a bold decision: he turned on his landing lights—fully exposing himself to enemy gunners—in order to see the terrain.

This time, it worked. The survivors reached the helicopter.

On the way out, Lassen evaded more anti-aircraft fire and limped his battered bird back toward the sea. He landed aboard USS Jouett with only five minutes of fuel remaining.

He didn’t just fly into danger—he dwelled in it, made a home of it, and refused to leave without his brothers.

Medal of Honor Citation:

*"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as pilot and aircraft commander of a search and rescue helicopter, attached to Helicopter Support Squadron 7, during operations against enemy forces in North Vietnam.

Launched shortly after midnight to attempt the rescue of 2 downed aviators, Lt. (then Lt. (J.G.)) Lassen skillfully piloted his aircraft over unknown and hostile terrain to a steep, tree-covered hill on which the survivors had been located. Although enemy fire was being directed at the helicopter, he initially landed in a clear area near the base of the hill, but, due to the dense undergrowth, the survivors could not reach the helicopter.

With the aid of flare illumination, Lt. Lassen successfully accomplished a hover between 2 trees at the survivors’ position. Illumination was abruptly lost as the last of the flares were expended, and the helicopter collided with a tree, commencing a sharp descent. Expertly righting his aircraft and maneuvering clear, Lt. Lassen remained in the area, determined to make another rescue attempt, and encouraged the downed aviators while awaiting resumption of flare illumination.

After another unsuccessful, illuminated rescue attempt, and with his fuel dangerously low and his aircraft significantly damaged, he launched again and commenced another approach in the face of the continuing enemy opposition. When flare illumination was again lost, Lt. Lassen, fully aware of the dangers in clearly revealing his position to the enemy, turned on his landing lights and completed the landing.

On this attempt, the survivors were able to make their way to the helicopter. En route to the coast he encountered and successfully evaded additional hostile antiaircraft fire and, with fuel for only 5 minutes of flight remaining, landed safely aboard U.S.S. Jouett (DLG-29)."*