The Air Force Cross is presented to Jesse W. Campbell, Major, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a C-123 aircraft pilot in the Republic of Vietnam on 12 May 1968. On that date, Major Campbell volunteered to attempt the rescue of a three-man USAF Combat Control Team from the Special Forces Camp at Kham Duc. Hostile forces had overrun the forward outpost and established gun positions on the airstrip. They were raking the camp with small arms, mortars, light and heavy automatic weapons, and recoilless rifle fire. The camp was engulfed in flames and ammunition dumps were continuously exploding and littering the runway with debris. In addition, eight aircraft had been destroyed by the intense enemy fire and one aircraft remained on the runway reducing its useable length to only 2200 feet. To further complicate a landing, the weather was deteriorating rapidly. Although fully aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, Major Campbell set up the approach from approximately 7300 feet above the airfield. Through a superior display of pilot expertise, he sideslipped the C-123 aircraft steeply to an altitude of 500 feet above the ground. The landing roll was terminated near the point where the Combat Control Team was reported to be hiding. While on the ground, the aircraft was the target of intense hostile fire. A rocket landed in front of the nose of the aircraft but failed to explode. Once the Combat Control Team was aboard, the C-123 succeeded in getting airborne despite the hostile fire directed across the runway in front of the aircraft. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Major Campbell reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.