Royal Air Force Pilot gets DFC
 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/chris-gordon-raf-pilot-honoured-1781124

What can one say? I'm just left speechless by the courage and sense of duty recognised here. I'm sure that Flt Lt Gordon would be the first to say that it was his crew, not he alone, who performed this noble deed. They have added to the ever growing scroll of honour of the Royal Air Force. I salute them all.
Chris Gordon: RAF pilot honoured for life or death helicopter rescue mission - Mirror Online

I am confused, but then I am getting old - do those awarded bravery medals no longer go to BP for their medals to be presented by the Sovereign or another member of the Royal Family.

Hand Salute! Well Done that Crew! Wokka's are tough old Birds and appear to be manned by Crews we ALLcan respect and admire.:D

The old Chinook is a pretty tough and remarkable Bird!:ok:

"Salute" and utmost respect for his, and the crew's, bravery and skill :D

What a fantastic effort! What impresses me is not only the raw courage but also the immense piloting skill. Also, it has to be said, the whole crew must have done their utmost.

Rgds SOS

True Grit.........

Wander00

Hoping not to be the victim of a wah here ..... but when the Mirror says "received at" what they really meant was "announced at" - a selection of the recipients were 'unveiled' to the press at the same time as the Operational Honours and Awards list was released.

Of course if you had said "don't they wear their No 1's to receive their awards" then I would have known you were on a wind-up mission rather than just being old!:E

WM - thanks, I am relieved - I am pleased that gallantry and other awards are presented with due ceremony..........and in appropriate dress!

Only in a Chinook!

That was a truly outstanding deed, in the best traditions of the Royal Air Force. My deepest respect to him and his crew.

Wow, team effort and credit where its due. The right guys keep coming to the right fleet.

Chinook 240,
This citation (along with several others) should be placed in a folder and waved under the nose of politicians if they EVER try to interfere in future Med-Heavy RW procurements by bullying the RAF into buying anything else.

Awesome aircraft, awesome airmanship.

A truly amazing feat by a wonderful bloke. Hats of to you fella....and to your valaint crew....and once again thanks to Mr Frank Piasecki!

Outstanding effort by him and his crew. Well done. :D :D

Amazing to think that the first DFC awarded to a Chinook pilot was over 30 years ago, that awarded to Squadron leader Richard Lawrence AFC for operations during the Falklands campaign in the only surviving Chinook from the Atlantic Conveyor sinking.

A great credit to the aircraft and of course to Flight Lieutenant Gordon and his crew :ok:

I think the Falklands DFC was awarded to the late Dick Langworthy.

Amazing nevertheless, though!

My apologies, Langworthy it was - where I got Lawrence from seeing as I had the LG in front of me at the time I have no idea!

Thanks for the correction.

It gives you the tingles and does the soul good to read a such a positive story about some of our brave young men. A very heart-warming change from some others of a very different ilk who regularly hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons and use up precious oxygen. I guess I am just an old softy at heart.

LF

I have never been a helicopter pilot so I am a bit awe-struck by this incident being conducted on one engine, and 30 troops lifted - how far outside the normal operating parameters is this? All I can say is the pilot is not only extremely brave, he is an extremely skilled pilot too, and crew co-operation must have been exceptional. Very, very well done. I doff my cap.