Staff Sergeant Hershel E. Fannin distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Southeast Asia on 26 August  1972.  On that date, Sergeant Fannin, a Flight Engineer on an HH-53C rescue helicopter, with full knowledge that a previous recovery attempt had been met with intense automatic weapons fire, courageously volunteered to attempt the rescue mission for a downed American airman. Although his aircraft was being riddled by bullets as it hovered within meters of the North Vietnamese gunners, he stood in the open and unprotected crew entry door while operating the rescue hoist to raise the downed airman to safety. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Fannin has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.