| Crew
51 was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) (per
GO 42 Section XXV, dated 23 August 1945 Issued by HQ 20th
AF) for their participation in aerial flight 22 June 1945
- Mitsubishi aircraft plant at Tamashima, Japan.
The citation reads as follows:
"For extraordinary achievement while participating
in aerial flight 22 June 1945.These individuals were members
of the combat crew of a B-29 aircraft based in the Marianas
on a strike against the important Mitsubishi aircraft
plant at Tamashima, Japan. Enemy anti-aircraft fire was
the first encounter at the assembly point From the inital
point into the target area, their formation was subjected
to heavy caliber anti-aircraft fire and vicious and agressive
attacks by enemy fighters, some of which dropped phosphorous
bombs. Despite these difficulties they maintained their
bomber exactly on the briefed heading to the objective
without taking evasive action. At Tamashima, where the
enemy's defenses were highly concentrated, they released
the bombs with such outstanding accuracy that 100 percent
of them fell on the target with devastating effect. Later
reconnaissance photographs revealed that as a result of
this one mission eight-five percent of this new and vital
Japanese aircraft plant was destroyed. The courage and
skill displayed by those veterans of repeated missions
against the Japanese homeland together with their outstanding
airmanship in carrying out an important assignment reflect
the greatest credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.
Captain
THOMAS A. WACHT. (then First Lieutenant), Air Corps, United
States Army, as Airplane Commander.
First
Lieutenant ROBERT J. BRASHEARS, (then Second Lieutenant),
Air Corps, United States Army, as Bombardier.
First
Lieutenant SHELDON E. ELLIOTT, (then Second Lieutenant),
Air Corps, United States Army, as Navigator.
First
Lieutenant JAMES O. KIRK, (then Second Lieutenant), Air
Corps, United States Army, as Pilot.
First
Lieutenant DAVID P. SHAFFALO, (then Second Lieutenant),
Air Corps, United States Army, as Radar Observer.
Technical
Sergeant HAROLD L. MITHELMAN, (then Staff Sergeant), Air
Corps, United States Army, as Flight Engineer.
Technical
Sergeant JAMES T. ROBERTSON, (then Staff Sergeant), Air
Corps, United States Army, as Central Fire Control Gunner.
Staff
Sergeant LOUIS C. HARPER, Air Corps, United States Army,
as Radio Operator..
Sergeant
DENNIS C. MURPHY, (then Corporal), Air Corps, United States
Army, as Right Gunner.
Sergeant
LEO F. BAKER, (then Corporal), Air Corps, United States
Army, as Left Gunner.
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