FIre broke out in the junction box between the tail turret and last bulk-head of the B-24 aircraft immediately after takeoff on a combat mission. Sgt. Saliba, spotting the smoke, tore the lid off the junction box to get at the source of the fire, only to have flames flare up and badly burn his face. Sgt's Samyn and Davidson moved Sgt Saliba forward in the waist with Sgt Richardson and attacked the fire with extinguishers. They calmly played the extinguishers on the control cables and pulleys to assure the pilot of the landing facilities. The fire burning intensely, and fed by hydraulic oil and an apparent oxygen leak, burned away the support of the tail turret, which fell out of the tail of the aircraft from 1,500 feet. Without interphone or radio contact with the tower, Lt Kessler sent his co-pilot, Lt Casey, to the rear to survey the damage and to supervise first aid to the burned gunner. Lt Kessler circled the field for approximately 10 minutes, while the remainder to the formation took off on the mission, and then safely landed his nose-heavy aircraft.

The conduct of the Officers and Enlisted Men in maintaining discipline to combat this emergency successfully is deserving of the highest commendation.

By order of Colonel Shower