AWARDED DFC: 1
CONFLICT/SPACE FLIGHT/EVENT:  -
MODEL:  F-86

Citation:  1.) The President of the United States takes great pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Second Lieutenant William G. Sternhagen for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of an F-86 with the 8th Fighter Bomber Wing, Fifth Air Force, on 16 June 1953. Flying the element lead position in a flight of four F-86 aircraft on a close support mission, Lieutenant Sternhagen displayed outstanding airmanship and combat effectiveness while attacking enemy front line bunkers, personnel shelters, and troops in the open near Kumwha, North Korea. Displaying exceptional bravery, Lieutenant Sternhagen made extremely low and dangerous dive bombing and strafing runs and scored direct hits on the enemy positions with his two (2) one thousand (1,000) pound bombs. Despite enemy anti-aircraft fire, Lieutenant Sternhagen initiated repeated runs on the target and scored direct hits, killing enemy personnel and destroying personnel shelters and bunkers. The assessment given the flight by the controller was two (2) bunkers destroyed, seven (7) personnel shelters destroyed, and twenty (20) enemy personnel killed. As a result of this highly successful mission, enemy front line positions were destroyed, severely hampering the enemy's combat potential in this area. By his outstanding airmanship, skill, and devotion to duty, Lieutenant Sternhagen has brought great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.