AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED-FLYING-CROSS--By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of Congress, approved 2 July 1926 (Bull 8, WD 1926), and persuant to authority delegated by Headquaters United States Army Strategic Air Forces in letter, file AG 323; subject: "Definitions of Administrative Responsibilities", dated 6 August 1945, announcement is made of the award of the Distinguished-Flying-Cross to the following named officer and enlisted men, organization indicated:

         Lieutenant Colonel JAMES H. THOMPSON, 39th Bomb Group, Air Corps, United States Army.  For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight from 27 March 1945 to 15 August 1945. In spite of the administrative burden that he bore as Operations Officer of this group, Colonel THOMPSON acted as Air Group Commander of the planes of his organization in a series of devatating attacks on Japanese targets, including Tokyo, Tokushima, Uwajima, and Kobe. On the strikes at Tokyo and Tokushima, Colonel THOMPSON flew in the pathfinder aircraft and succeeded in marking the targets so well that the main force which followed him was able to bomb the assigned targets with outstanding results. On the raids on Uwajima and Kobe, his plane carried out excellent jobs of bombing despite determined opposition. On these missions Colonel THOMPSON's B-29 was subjected to heavy concentrations of enemy flak and to vicious attacks by hostile fighters. Nevertheless, his courage and outstanding airmenship contributed to the successful accomplishment of these missions. This veteran combat officer's accomplishments reflect great credit on himself and the Army Air Forces.