The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) Artie Lee Kayser (ASN: 0-79116), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Lighting Fighter Airplane of the 54th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group, ELEVENTH Air Force, in aerial operations in the Territory of Alaska, on 26 December 1942. Second Lieutenant Kayser was a member of a flight of P-38’s which took off on a mission to destroy enemy fighters over Holtz Bay. Upon approaching the target no enemy aircraft was sighted. Although it was not included as part of the assigned mission the flight broke off to strafe, at ground level, enemy aircraft emplacements on the shore. After Lieutenant Kayser completed two strafing attacks through heavy anti-aircraft fire, his ship was disabled and he was forced to land in the water eighty miles short of his home base. Throughout the action he displayed a determination and gallantry worthy of the highest ideals of the Army Air Force.