Flight Lieutenant Marc Heal: Every Day Hero

RAF pilot honoured for courage in Afghanistan

A History and Honour news article

7 Jun 10

A Chinook pilot from RAF Odiham was presented with a Distinguished Flying Cross for his 'superior flying skills' in Afghanistan at a prestigious ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday 4 June 2010.

Flight Lieutenant Marc Heal in front of a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Flight Lieutenant Marc Heal, aged 29, was amongst personnel from various stations across the UK to be honoured in the Armed Forces Operational Awards, announced earlier this year, for their bravery and service in Afghanistan, Iraq, and in Search and Rescue missions around the UK.

Flight Lieutenant Heal was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions whilst on operations in Afghanistan in July 2009.

As the Captain of the Chinook helicopter Immediate Response Team (IRT) during Operation PANCHAI PALANG (PANTHER'S CLAW), based at Camp Bastion, he commanded eight IRT missions and was regularly tasked into areas with a very significant enemy threat.

He consistently demonstrated exceptional levels of professional ability combined with unflinching courage throughout, successfully extracting 29 casualties from the battlefield and delivering them into medical care.

Flight Lieutenant Marc Heal proudly displays his Distinguished Flying Cross at Buckingham Palace
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Read more about this humble hero here.