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 pursuant to authority delegated by Headquarters 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 officers and enlisted men of the 62nd Bombardment Squadron, 39th Bombardment Group::

        For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 5 June 1945. These individuals were members of the combat crew of a B-29 aircraft in the devastating medium altitude, daylight strike from a base in the Marianas agaist Kobe, Japan.  Shortly after leaving the inital point, they encountered fierce enemy opposition in the form of accurate heavy caliber anti-aircraft fire, which scored several hits on the fuselage, and air-to-air bombing and phosphorus bursts. During this time ten enemy aircraft made vicious, closely pressed attacks. Two were shot down by this crew. In spite of these determined defenses, however, these crewmen, with outstanding courage and skill, maintained their B-29 on the briefed heading to the target without resorting to evasive tactics. At the target, where enemy's defenses were most highly concentrated, their bombs were released squarely on the aiming point. Although bombing results at the time were unobserved because of huge clouds of smoke billowing over the city, later reconnaissance photographs revealed that the area assigned to them was completely demolished. The courage displayed by these veterans of repeated assaults against the Japanese homeland, together with their outstanding professional skill reflect great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.

First Lieutenant HARVARD B. COX, (then Second Lieutenant) Air Corps, United States Army, as Pilot.