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 First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Charles E. Schreffler, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the North African, Sicilian and Italian Theatres of Operations as a Pilot of a P-38 type aircraft of the TWELFTH Air Force. On 30 August 1943, while escorting a B-26 type bombardment group over Lago di Patria, Italy, Lieutenant Schreffler’s flight of 4 P-38s were attached by thirty ME-109s. Observing a lagging comrade in grave danger he unhesitatingly led his flight in an aggressive assault on the threatening enemy aircrafts, destroying one ME-109 and probably destroying another. Lieutenant Schreffler so expertly maneuvered his small flight, despite one engine being disabled by hostile fire, that the flight safely rejoined his squadron. His outstanding ability as a flight leader and combat pilot has reflected great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States.