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Vietnam War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Lieutenant Commander Michael John Estocin
Vietnam War Recipients A-B C-D E-F G-H I-J K-L M-N O-P R-S T-U V-W X-Z
Citation: Rank and organization: Captain (then Lieutenant Commander), of U.S. Navy Attack Squadron 192, operating from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA14). Place and date: Haiphong, North Vietnam, 20 and 26 April 1967. Entered Service at: Akron, Ohio. Born: 27 April 1931, Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. For conspicous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 20 and 26 April 1967 as an A-4 Skyhawk pilot in Attack Squadron One Hundred Ninty-two embarked in USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). Leading a three plane flight in support of a coordinated strike against two thermal power plants in Haiphong, North Viet Nam, on 20 April 1967, Captain (then Lieutenant Commander) Estocin provided continuous warnings to the strike group leaders of the surface-to-air missile (SAM) threats, and personally neutralized three SAM sites. Although his aircraft was severely damaged by an exploding missile, he re-entered the target area and relentlessly prosecuted a Shrike attack in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. With less than five minutes fuel remaining he departed the target area and commenced inflight refueling which continued for over 100 miles. Three miles aft of Ticonderoga, and without enough fuel for a second landing approach, he disengaged from the tanker and executed a precise approach to a fiery arrested landing. On 26 April 1967, in the support of a coordinated strike against the vital fuel facilities in Haiphong, Estocin led an attack on a threatening SAM site, during which his Skyhawk was seriously damaged by an exploding SAM missile; neverless, he regained control of his burning Skyhawk and courageously launched his Shrike missiles before departing the area.
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