The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant Arthur Raymond Boag (MCSN: 0-11850), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. On 2 July 1943, First Lieutenant Boag was leader of a division of three F-4Us acting as fighter escort in a strike against a Japanese AK. Lieutenant Boag led his division in five strafing runs on this ship, alternating with B-25’s in the attack. The AK was completely demolished, which fact was later substantiated. On 11 July 1943, Lieutenant Boag was again section leader in a division of F-4Us which engaged about twenty zeroes at eighteen thousand feet above New Georgia Island. Lieutenant Boag became separated from his division on the initial attack during which time he shot a zero to bits. Shortly thereafter, an F-4U passed in front of him with an enemy fighter on his tail. Lieutenant Boag came in from astern of this zero and shot it own in flames. Almost the instant Lieutenant Boag left his zero, another enemy fighter dove at him trying to ram him head on. In spite of the fact that Lieutenant Boag had only one gun working he poured such an accurate stream of fire at the zero, it exploded in midair as it passed him. Out of ammunition, and with a badly damaged plane, Lieutenant Boag was forced to bail out, and in doing so was struck by pieces of his plane which came apart. Suffering compound fractures, and nearly losing two of his fingers, he was picked up, returned to base, and evacuated the following day. Lieutenant Boag flew as section leader on twenty-three combat missions, with a total of 68.8 hours of combat flying from 18 June 1943 to 18 July 1943.