ADDENDUM TO 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBERS: BC-2010-03620 

COUNSEL: 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

He be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his act of 
valor and completion of 50 total combat missions while serving as 
a turret gunner and aerial engineer aboard a B-17 bomber during 
World War II. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

RESUME OF CASE: 

 

On 28 June 2011, the Board considered and denied the applicant’s 
request to award him the DFC or other appropriate decoration. 
For an accounting of the facts and circumstances surrounding the 
applicant’s separation; and, the rationale of the earlier 
decision by the Board, see the Record of Proceedings (ROP) at 
Exhibit E. 

 

On 19 January 2012, the applicant submitted a request for 
reconsideration for award of the DFC. 

 

In support of his appeal, the applicant provides a personal 
statement, a statement from an eyewitness, statements from two 
officers in his chain of command, an excerpt of DFC and Air Medal 
criteria in the Army Air Forces in World War II, and an excerpt 
of information on the AN-M64 500 pound General Purpose Bomb. 

 

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at 
Exhibit F. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate 
the existence of an error or an injustice. After thoroughly 
reviewing the evidence of record and the additional documentation 
submitted by the applicant, we find that he has met his burden of 
established his entitlement to the requested DFCs. In this 
respect, we note that after reviewing the criteria for award of 
the DFC and noting the statements from an eyewitness and two 
officers in his former chain-of-command, we are convinced that 


his actions on 11 June 1943, rose to a level to warrant award of 
the DFC for extraordinary achievement. On that date, while 
enroute to the primary impact bombing target, he dislodged a 
fully-armed, fused 500 pound bomb that had fallen upon the bomb 
bay doors. With total disregard for his own safety and despite 
not wearing a parachute, he climbed from his position in the top 
turret, straddled the bomb bay doors at an altitude of 25 
thousand feet and while simply holding only a safety strap with 
one hand, he grabbed the impeller of the bomb with the other in 
order to stop its rotation and deterred any chance of its 
detonation in the aircraft, allowing the bomb to safely drop when 
the pilot opened the bomb bay doors. Furthermore, in view of the 
policy of the applicant’s numbered Air Force command at the time, 
i.e., Twelfth Air Force, to award a DFC upon the completion of 
every 25 bombardment missions and noting his completion of 54 
bombardment missions, some of which he has already received 
recognition with six Air Medals, we also find a sufficient basis 
to award him the First Oak Cluster to the DFC. In view of the 
above, we recommend his records be corrected to the extent 
indicated below. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that: 

 

 a. On 12 June 1943, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying 
Cross for extraordinary achievement for his actions on 11 June 
1943. 

 

 b. On 21 October 1943, he was awarded the Distinguished 
Flying Cross, First Oak Leaf Cluster, for sustained aerial flight 
on many bombardment missions over enemy occupied Europe. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered this application in 
Executive Session on 16 October 2012, under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 

 

 , Panel Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 


All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence for AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2010-
03620 was considered: 

 

 

Exhibit E. Record of Proceedings, dated 21 Jul 11, 

 with Exhibits A through D. 

Exhibit F. Applicant’s Letter, dated 19 Jan 12, with atchs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair