Decatur Graduate Honored With Medal For Daring Rescue In Thailand

BERLIN -- An Ocean City native and Stephen Decatur High School graduate, now an experienced U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot serving in Korea, was honored last week with a Joint Service Commendation Medal after piloting his aircraft and leading his crew on a daring rescue of seven U.S. Marines last month.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Adam McDonough, a 1993 Stephen Decatur graduate and former high school quarterback, was honored for piloting a Blackhawk helicopter during the precarious rescue of seven Marines whose helicopter crashed on Feb. 20 in a remote area of Thailand about 20 miles north of Phitsanulok.

The seven crewmembers suffered severe burns, lacerations and fractures to varying degrees, but were difficult to reach because of the remote location. A second Marine Sea Knight helicopter attempted a rescue, but was forced to land on the ground about 1,000 feet below the crash scene and sent crew members on a dangerous ascent up the face of the cliff.
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