Headquarters Twentieth Air Force
APO 234, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
25 July 1945
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 Force in classified letter, file 323, subject: "Delineation of Administrative Responsibility," dated 16 July 1945, announcement is made of the award of the Distinguished-Flying Cross to the following named officers and enlisted men of the 6th Bombardment Squadron, 29th Bombardment Group:
For extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight on 7 April 1945. These individuals were flying as combat crew members on a B-29 aircraft engaged in a bombing mission against a vital target in Nagoya, Japan. On the approach to the initial point, the formation was exposed to intense, accurate enemy anti-aircraft fire. When the aircraft on their wing was knocked down by a direct flak hit, they skillfully avoided a collision by taking violent evasive action, which, however, put them out of the formation completely. Without the protection of a close formation, they made good the initial point and singly and unaided commenced the bomb run. Flak hit one of the engines causing a fire to break out. They feathered the propeller and at a greatly reduced speed continued over the heavily defended target and successfully bombed it. After bombs away, enemy fighters attacked the crippled aircraft. Through their exceptional crew teamwork and peerless gunnery, which knocked down one enemy fighter, the B-29 fought its way to the Japanese coast. Once clear of enemy fighters, the badly damaged aircraft was flown safely to its home base over a perilous over-water flight of fifteen hundred miles. The superior airmanship, courage and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by these individuals reflect the highest credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.
First Lieutenant Allie A. Thacker, 0524516, Air Corps, United States Army, as Airplane Commander.
First Lieutenant Harold D. Lang, 0779900, (then Second Lieutenant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Pilot.
First Lieutenant Alexander R. Amell, 0555017, (then Second Lieutenant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Navigator.
First Lieutenant Emil M. Olsen, 02065410, (then Second Lieutenant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Bombardier.
First Lieutenant Raymond E. Denny, 02068081, (then Second Lieutenant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Radar Observer.
Master Sergeant Howard C. Mull, 35132439, (then Technical Sergeant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Flight Engineer.
Staff Sergeant Bobby L. Haddock, 34822495, (then Sergeant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Radio Operator.
Sergeant Nicholas Macaylo, 12227774, Air Corps, United States Army, as Left Gunner.
Staff Sergeant Guido A. Marano, 16107999, (then Sergeant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Right Gunner.
Staff Sergeant Roger E. Williams, 31416409, (then Sergeant), Air Corps, United States Army, as Tail Gunner.
BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL LeMAY:
A. W. KISSNER
Brigadier General, USA
Chief of Staff
