"but getting shot at and then flying home isn't necessarily what I (and possibly a few of my generation) would consider deserving of such a high award."
I have read these words over and over and I'm amazed by the naivety of someone who was in the "military" but clearly has no idea of what happened over there. The loss of a Chinook, particularly with its precious cargo, would have been a game changer and it is due to the tactical and flying skills of the crews that this never happened.