The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the
NAVY AND MARINE CORPS MEDAL to

for service as set forth in the following

       CITATION:

"For  heroism  while serving  with  Marine Medium  Helicopter  Squadron 263,  Marine Aircraft  Group Sixteen,  First Marine  Aircraft Wing  in  the Republic of  Vietnam on 2 April 1971.  While  aboard  a CH-46  transport helicopter to  assist the  jumpmaster during  Vietnamese  Sea  Commando parachute  jump  exercises  at  Red  Beach  Airfield,  Corporal   Buckland observed  seven parachutists  land  in the  sea because  of faulty timing  as they jumped from the aircraft.  After guiding his pilot to a hover over one of the parachutists who was struggling to keep afloat, he saw that the man was being dragged under  the surface of the water due to the  weight of his pack and the wash of his aircraft's rotor blades.  Unhesitatingly, Corporal Buckland  jumped  into the water and  swam to the  side of  the struggling Vietnamese while the  helicopter moved away from  the area.  Cutting  the lines of  the parachute entangling the man, he swam to  the beach with the parachutist and carried him ashore for medical attention.  Sighting anoth- er parachutist motionless on the surface of the water a short distance from shore, he  boldly plunged into the surf, swam to the  side of the  drowning Vietnamese,  brought him ashore, and  expertly applied  artificial  resusci- tation  until  normal  breathing   was  restored.   By  this  time,   Corporal Buckland  was  so exhausted and  had accumulated  so much water  in  his lungs that he fell unconscious and was evacuated to the medical facility at DaNang.  His courage,  bold initiative, and  prompt actions in  the face of great  personal danger  were instrumental in  saving the  lives of  two Viet- namese  and  were  in  keeping  with the highest  traditions of  the  Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service."