354th TFW's Major Colin A. Clarke was awarded the Air Force Cross during a search and rescue "Sandy" mission on November 18, 1972. After numerous attempts to find his way in mountain terrain near Than Hoa, N. Vietnam, in near zero visibility to 2 downed pilots, Maj. Clarke was forced to lead rescue helicopters thorough heavy fire into an enclosed valley to the airmen. Noticing an enemy emplacement directly over the approaching helicopters on a ridge, he made a final suppression run over the enemy during the rescue pick up and was struck by ground fire in an empty wing tank fuel cell. The resulting detonation of fumes blew out all of his avionics, and he pulled directly up through the overcast preparing to eject. As he cleared the cloud cover he realized the aircraft was still controllable and accompanied by his wingman was able to limp to Da Nang airfield to land. The extraction of the airmen was successful. Major Clarke was awarded the AFC.