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 William L. Ryalls, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 15 February 1945. These individuals were combat crewmembers of a B-29 type aircraft flying from a base in the Mariana’s islands on a bombing attack against the heavily defended dock areas of Nagoya, Japan. Soon after they departed from the assembly point a frontal penetration had to be effected with the hope of grouping at the reassembly point. As they began, extremely hazardous icing conditions caused abortions by many of the accompanying B-29’s. By determination and courage, the crewmen continued in flight coping with every situation that endangered the course of the aircraft toward its objective. As they neared the coastline of Japan, the front had been completely penetrated. No friendly ships could be sighted and inasmuch as the reassembly point was engulfed in the overcast, it was doubtful that the target could be attacked in formation. A single plane attack on the primary target would result in the probable loss of their aircraft before damage could be inflicted. They selected the secondary target for their objective. Although the course from the rendezvous point to the target was well protected by more than twenty enemy aircraft they decided to attack. Throughout the entire bomb run their plane was under constant fighter attacks and unrelenting anti-aircraft fire. They released their bombs visually with excellent results on the target. By their demonstration of strict loyalty and devotion to duty, in their unswerving desire to destroy the enemy and his means to wage war, these veterans repeated assaults against the Japanese homeland reflect great credit on themselves and the Army Air Forces.