SACRAMENTO—A Sacramento member of the California Air National Guard is getting a medal for a daring rescue mission in Iraq.

Capt. Dan Anderson and his medevac helicopter crew came under enemy fire Aug. 29 but still rescued two injured Army pilots whose own helicopter had been shot down. One of the pilots later died.

Anderson, 33, is a member of the 1159th Medical Company (Air Ambulance), based near Tikrit. He and co-pilot Chief Warrant Officer Milton Walker of Maryland, crew chief Sgt. Jerome Shai of Maryland and medic Sgt. Kevin Doyle of Massachusetts wore night-vision goggles as their Black Hawk helicopter headed toward the downed pilots.

They soon came under fire. Anderson said in an e-mail to The Sacramento Bee from Iraq that “I felt a thump on my seat ... and a clip on my leg holster popped off from something hitting it.”

The crew found 12 bullet holes through the helicopter when they returned to their base. Each member was awarded the Air Medal with Valor on Thanksgiving Day.