The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant John H. Gregorious (AFSN: AO-1850382), United States Air Force, for gallantry in action against enemy forces in Korea while serving as Pilot of a B-26 Invader Attack Bomber of the 728th Bombardment Squadron, 452d Bombardment Group (Light), FIFTH Air Force, in action on 24 April 1951, while participating in a tactical, low-level bombing mission near Chonwon, Korea. Lieutenant Gregorious, piloting a B-26 type light bomber, demonstrated exceptional airmanship and courage while attacking a large concentration of enemy troops and supplies with bombs, rockets, napalm and machine gun fire. Flying through intense enemy ground fire, which damaged his aircraft, Lieutenant Gregorious made repeated attacks, diving his light bomber through narrow mountain canyons to obtain the most effective results. After killing or wounding approximately fifty enemy troops, destroying nine supply-filled buildings, and starting numerous fires in a supply area, Lieutenant Gregorious sighted a downed friendly aircraft and surviving crew members. He immediately pin-pointed their location and called for a rescue helicopter. Awaiting the arrival of the helicopter, and in spite of the damage to his aircraft, he repeatedly strafed groups of enemy troops attempting to reach the downed crew members, subjecting himself to intense enemy ground fire. Upon arrival of the helicopter, Lieutenant Gregorious intensified his strafing attacks to draw the enemy’s fire while the helicopter rescued the crew members of the downed airplane. After the last member was aboard the rescue craft, Lieutenant Gregorious turned his crippled aircraft toward home base. Although his fuel supply was low, he successfully made the long flight to his home station across two hundred miles of open sea and landed after he had been in the air for almost seven hours. His aircraft had sustained sixty hits from enemy anti-aircraft and small arms fire. The superlative skill, gallantry, and devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Gregorious were in keeping with the highest traditions of the service and reflected great credit upon himself, the FIFTH Air Force, and the United States Air Force.