AWARDED DFC: 1
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  -
MODEL:  B-29

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Clarence A. Christiansen for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 15 February 1945. These individuals were crew members of a B-29 aircraft which took off from a base in the Marianas Islands on a bombing mission against the highly defended Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant, Nagoya, Japan. They flew through adverse and hazardous weather conditions and upon arrival at the assembly point, found that a rendezvous could not be accomplished because of very heavy cloud formation. As a result, they made up a formation with other aircraft near them and went on to the primary objective. Over the target area, their formation was attacked by several enemy fighters, causing moderate damage to their aircraft. Favorable weather made possible a highly successful bombing, causing heavy destruction and damage to the engine plant. The exemplary coolness and efficiency displayed by these individuals, who have accomplished more than twenty-five combat sorties, were material contributions to placing the bombs on the target under such hazardous flying conditions. Their devotion to duty, disregard of danger, and determination to bomb the primary target reflect great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.