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39th Bomb Group (VH)
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Award of Distinguished Flying Cross

HEADQUATERS TWENTIETH AIR FORCE
APO 234, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco California

GENERAL ORDERS )    
4 September 1945
NO . . . . . . . . 53) -
   Section XVI

         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: "Ddefinitions of Administrative Responsibilities", dated 6 August 1945, announcement is made of the award of the Distinguished-Flying-Cross to the following named officers and enlisted men of the 60th Bombardment Squadron, 39th Bombardment Group.

         For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight 25 May 1945. These individuals were combat crew members of a B-29 aircraft flying as pathfinder from a base in the Marianas against Tokyo, Japan. This crew was first to arrive in the target area. Flying extremely low altitude to minimize the possibilities of dropping wide of their target, their plane was immediately bracketed by a multitude of searchlights and subjected to intense flak which seriously damaged the bomber. Nothwithstanding the crippled condition of their ship, this crew resolutely continued on course for their objective. They released their bombs with such accuracy that their group, arriving a few minutes later, was able to strike the target with devestating effectiveness. The cool courage, outstanding professional skill and high sense of duty displayed by these veterans of repeated assaults against the Japanese homeland reflect great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.

First Lieutenant MARVIN DEMANCZUK, Air Corps, United States Army, as Radar Observer.

First Lieutenant CHARLES H. GOURLAY, Air Corps, United States Army, as Bombardier.

First Lieutenant RICHARD A. HARRIS (then Second Lieutenant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Flight Engineer.

First Lieutenant HENRY E. PITTS, JR., Air Corps, United States Army, as Pilot.

First Lieutenant BAYARD J. SQUIRE, Air Corps, United States Army, as Navigator.

Staff Sergeant EUGENE J. BOCKMAN, Air Corps, United States Army, as Right Gunner.

Staff Sergeant JOHN A. DUPREE, Air Corps, United States Army, as Radio Operator.

Staff Sergeant JOHN H. JONES, Air Corps, United States Army, as Left Gunner.


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Sources: GO 53 Sec 16 dated 4 Sep 1945 HQ 20th AF