Richard C. Decker’s Distinguished Service Cross citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to

Richard C. Decker

Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Aerial Engineer and Gunner on a B-26 Medium Bomber of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, 22d Bombardment Group (M), FAR EAST Air Force (Detached), in aerial action against enemy surface forces on 4 June 1942, during an engagement near Midway Island. Staff Sergeant Decker displayed extraordinary heroism during a torpedo bombing mission against the Japanese Navy. The success of the mission was dependent entirely upon the skill, courageousness and unfaltering devotion to duty of the crew members of the airplanes participating, who unhesitatingly entered into the attack at great personal risk to their own lives in the face of concentrated gunfire of the Japanese Naval forces and fighter planes. During this, the first torpedo attack ever carried out by the Army Air Forces, the airplane on which Staff Sergeant Decker was aerial engineer and gunner, was lost. The personal courage and devotion to duty displayed by Staff Sergeant Decker on this occasion, at the cost of his life, have upheld the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.