The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Master Sergeant [then Technical Sergeant] Levi A. Freed, United States Army Air Forces, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy in extricating an officer from an overturned airplane at Dodge City, Kansas, on 25 May 1940. While taking off from the airport, an airplane piloted by an officer with Sergeant Freed as passenger suddenly crashed into a car parked nearby and overturned causing a gasoline tank to burst and cover both occupants with gasoline. Realizing the imminent danger of an explosion or fire and seeing that the pilot was seriously injured and unable to extricate himself, Sergeant Freed, with great difficulty because of the position of the airplane, succeeded in removing the pilot from the cockpit. Although slightly injured himself, Sergeant Freed courageously re-entered the airplane, cut the switches, and removed the wires from the battery terminals, thus preventing the complete destruction of the airplane. The heroism displayed by Sergeant Freed on this occasion reflects great credit on himself and the military service.