The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Heyward Ainsworth Paxton, Jr. (ASN: 0-0800584), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as a P-51 Fighter Pilot of the 7th Fighter Squadron, 3d Fighter Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing. Captain Paxton distinguished himself on 27 October 1944 during a fighter sweep along an important enemy-held railroad. One train was encountered, and he participated in the destruction of the locomotive and several cars of gasoline, and in strafing three coal-cars loaded with troops. His flight then preceded to attack an enemy airfield where a numerically superior force of nineteen bombers and fighters were preparing to land. In the course of an intense aerial battle in which all the enemy planes were destroyed, Lieutenant Paxton shot down two and shared credit for the destruction of a third. His aggressiveness and skill in this important double mission reflect high credit upon himself and upon the Army Air Forces.