Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Army Air Forces

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps)

    Batallion:

    768th Bombardment Squadron

    Regiment:

    462d Bombardment Group (VH)

    Division:

    20th Air Force

    Action Date:

    August 20, 1944

    Headquarters, 20th Air Force, General Orders No. 118 (May 4, 1945)

    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 Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Donald A. Roush (ASN: 0-408851), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving as Command Pilot of a B-29 Superfortress Bomber and as Flight Commander with the 768th Bombardment Squadron, 462d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), TWENTIETH Air Force, in aerial operations against enemy installations at Yawata, Japan, on 20 August 1944. Lieutenant Colonel Roush displayed great heroism and admirable disregard for personal safety in determinedly maintaining his position in formation which would afford all possible protection to a crippled comrade whole being desperately attacked by a force of approximately one hundred enemy fighter aircraft. This heroic act of flying out in front of the damaged aircraft and exerting every effort to remain with it and bear the brunt of the vicious and sustained enemy attacks unquestionably prevented the crew members of the crippled aircraft from being killed in the air. Such disregard for personal safety and conspicuous gallantry in action is in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.