On November 13, 1991, while serving as maintenance officer of VF-142, he was flying in the Persian Gulf at Mach 0.9 at when the radome separated from his airplane, impacted, and destroyed his canopy. With a blinded eye, collapsed lung, broken arm and no communications or flight instruments, he recovered his "convertible" Tomcat with his Radar Intercept Officer LCDR Scott Grundmeier hunkered down in the rear cockpit and landed aboard the aircraft carrier . He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this superior display of airmanship under grave circumstances.