AWARDED DFC: 2
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  Vietnam
MODEL:  F-4D

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Richard J. Phillips, Jr., for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Aircraft Commander in Southeast Asia on 19 April 1971. On that date, Captain Phillips led a strike on a vital fuel and supply storage area used to support the operations of a hostile armed force. Despite extremely adverse weather conditions and defending ground fire, Captain Phillips led his flight through repeated ordnance delivery passes, resulting in the total destruction of a military structure and a twenty-meter segment of a fuel oil pipeline. His action also resulted in numerous secondary fires and explosions. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Phillips reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

2.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Richard J. Phillips, Jr., for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as an F-4D Phantom Aircraft Commander in Southeast Asia on 10 May 1971. On that date, Captain Phillips contributed immeasurably to the success of a strike mission against an opposing armed force, being diverted from his primary target to strike a number of active anti-aircraft artillery sites. Despite accurate heavy fire from the sites, he made repeated passes, resulting in the total destruction of ten of the guns and the crews that manned them, as well as two large secondary explosions. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Phillips reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.